The North Eastern Health Board has published a report carried out by their Medical Advisor into surgical activities at Cavan General Hospital.
Dr Finbar Lennon looked at 15 critical incidents at the hospital between September and December of last year which included 13 patients who underwent surgical operations at Cavan General.
Seven of these patients subsequently died within 30 days of surgery. Of the remaining six patients, four developed serious post-operative complications.
Mr Lennon's report said that clinical audit meetings would have identified such adverse results but these did not take place in the surgical unit at Cavan General.
He also says that because of the difficulties in each case, greater consideration should have been given to transferring patients to other hospitals.
However, one of the principal causes was, he said: ‘the inadequacies in the assessment and selection process for surgical interventions.' This essentially refers to the actions the surgeons decided on.
There was, Mr Lennon said, a lack of clear surgical leadership which was understandable considering the difficulties in the unit.
In his recommendations, Mr Lennon said that no major gastro-intestinal surgery should take place at the hospital and should be transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda.
He also recommended increased liaisons with other medical colleagues in the region and an increase in the range and number of elective operations in the hospital.
This report did not consider the death of 9-year-old Frances Sheridan. She had an operation at the hospital but went back later with pains. She was not admitted but died shortly afterwards. The inquest into her death will open next Monday.
