Ministers will stand by HSE chief as cervical cancer scandal deepens
HSE boss Tony O’Brien’s position will be defended by the Government in the face of growing calls for his resignation.
Political pressure came on the outgoing director general of the health service yesterday – but sources indicated ministers will continue to express confidence in his leadership.
Mr O’Brien, who was head of the National Cancer Screening Programme when smear test analysis was outsourced to the United States in 2008, has said he never considered stepping down despite the cervical cancer controversy.
But Sinn Féin’s health spokeswoman Louise O’Reilly argued his position is untenable in the wake of Vicky Phelan’s High Court settlement for €2.5m.
“Surely the nature of the case and the cost involved would have sent alarm bells through the HSE, the Department of Health and up to the level of Government,” Ms O’Reilly said.
“Maybe it is the case that their fortunes are inextricably intertwined and it might account for his reluctance to relieve him of his duties.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said calling for Mr O’Brien to be sacked because he was linked to the outsourcing of tests was not reasonable.
“Everyone, even Tony O’Brien, deserves a fair hearing before being condemned. We need to assess whether that decision was wrong. It may turn out not to be wrong. We need to be fair about it in that regard,” he said.
As the scandal deepened further, Health Minister Simon Harris faced over three hours of questions in the Dáil.
Much of the debate focuses on a briefing note received by Mr Harris on April 16, three days before Ms Phelan’s case came before the High Court. The minister said he received it at 7pm and didn’t read it until the following afternoon because he was attending ministerial and Cabinet meetings.
He told the Dáil that having read the note he had reached the conclusion that Vicky Phelan had an individual case and there was no wider risk to patient safety.
The note states: “The outcomes of all current and historical clinical cancer audits were subsequently communicated to treating clinicians in 2016 (including this case).
“More recently, women are informed of this audit process and they have the option to request information on the outcomes of these reviews, which are sent to the treating doctor for discussion with the patient.”
Mr Harris was also briefed that the State Claims Agency was of the view that solicitors for the US-based MedLab/Clinical Pathology Laboratories Ltd “will endeavour to settle the case on the best possible terms”.
“In its view the case is likely to be settled shortly before going to court.
“The SCA is of the view that publicity around the case and/ or settlement is likely.”
In relation to Ms Phelan’s case, the note states: “The National Screening Service and Jerome Coffey, Head of the National Cancer Control Programme, have advised the Department in writing that they do not consider this to be a patient safety incident but rather a reflection of the known limitations of the current screening test.”
Fianna Fáil’s health spokesman Stephen Donnelly said Ms Phelan had “laid bare a conspiracy of silence”.
“Many other women kept in the dark will now be told the truth,” he said.
Mr Donnelly also questioned why the minister didn’t make any follow up inquiries after receiving the note.
“People are scared. People are furious about what has happened,” he said.
Independent TD Dr Michael Harty said the health service had allowed “process trump the patients”.
“Quite often it is the cover up of the issue that attracts the attention rather than the original mistake,” he said.