Alarm over study on surgery risks
| 20 May 2013 14:02 |
| The Royal College of Surgeons has said it is very alarmed and concerned at the findings of a Lancet study, which suggested Irish patients have a higher risk of death after surgery. |
| Chief Executive Professor Cathal Kelly said the college had taken a "twin-track" approach to the findings. |
| A national audit of post-surgery mortality is to be established from 2014. |
| He also said a retrospective study has been carried out by the RCSI of the cohort of patients identified in the study. |
| "We're currently going back to the very same hospitals, at the very same time period, looking at outcomes in depth and doing a root cause analysis. |
| "We intend to publish the study this year and make public any recommendations," he said. |
| HSE National Director for Quality and Patient Safety Dr Philip Crowley also said he was alarmed by the study. |
| However, he said that the research was a "snapshot" of one week, and it was important to look at post-surgery mortality over a longer timeframe. |
