39 new Neary victims identified

A new report published today has found that another 40 women had unnecessary procedures performed on them by the former obstetrician Michael Neary.

The report, commissioned by patient support group Patient Focus, was carried out by two British based experts.

Professor Roger Clements and Professor Richard Porter examined more than 60 former patients of Michael Neary, last August.

They found 39 of the women had valid cases for compensation.

According to the report, the most common procedure was bilateral oophorectomy, which is the removal of one or both ovaries. A number of these women will be covered by the existing compensation scheme.

The report also uncovered a number of cases where women had their ovaries removed when they were diagnosed with endometriosis.

In many of the cases, the diagnosis was made on clinical examination alone. When the organs were later examined by a pathologist, in many of the cases no disease was found.

The authors say their review found a large number of similarities with the previous cases of unnecessary hysterectomies examined by the Lourdes Hospital Enquiry.

Many of the 62 women were told post-operatively by Dr Neary that he had saved their lives and many of the women were never told of the surgery in advance of the procedure.

Patient Focus met Minister for Health Mary Harney this afternoon to demand the compensation scheme be widened to include all women treated by Dr Neary.

The organisation says today's report now raises extremely serious questions about the gynaecological practices of Michael Neary.

Along with the 39 cases outlined in the report, the group says there are another 70 women who are awaiting independent medical reports and it is likely many of these will have to be compensated.

If the Minister agrees to the demands of Patient Focus it means the final number of women receiving compensation will be almost double the original estimate.