A hospital in Northern Ireland has confirmed that more than 300 women who attended its gynaecology department are to have their cases reviewed due to concerns over the work of a temporary employee.
Patients who attended the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, Co Down, between January and May are being informed that their cases are the subject of an urgent review.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust said it would be conducting a precautionary review of patients who were treated by a medical professional who was temporarily employed by the hospital but no longer works there.
The trust’s medical director, Dr Patrick Loughran, apologised for distress that news of the review would cause to the women involved, and said the move was prompted by concerns about aspects of the healthcare professional’s work.
He said the “comprehensive exercise” was being conducted as a matter of urgency and was expected to take two weeks to complete. It will be conducted by Professor William Thompson, former Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Queen’s University, Belfast.
“The Trust would like to apologise for any distress or anxiety this exercise may cause but I would stress that this is a precautionary measure in order to rule out any uncertainty,” Dr Loughran added.
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