No way to check doctors’ records

REcORDs held by the High court show that since the 1990s, 16 families have taken 19 cases against a Declan Egan and the Western Health Board/HsE.

But if any woman wanted to find out if these cases were all against the same Dr Egan, there is no central record accessible by the general public.

When the Irish Mail on sunday tried, the HsE said it did not have this information and referred us to the Galway Roscommon group of hospitals, now known as saolta.

But according to the spokesman for saolta, the newly formed group is not yet a legal entity. He referred the Mos to the state claims Agency.

However, a spokesman said it was the agency’s policy not to comment on individual cases.

Asked whether the agency had a system that could track the number of cases and awards made against a particular medic, spokesman David clerkin said: ‘I’m not going to comment.’

But a solicitor specialising in medical negligence cases said the agency did have such data.

He said: ‘The agency does have a tracking system and can give you statistics doctor by doctor.

‘But they won’t give out that information.’