The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has made a number of recommendations regarding surgical operations at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan in Co Meath.
The proposals follow an investigation by the college into 20 surgical procedures at the hospital. The review was initiated following concerns about the outcome of the operations raised by an expert report.
This afternoon, a spokesman for the Health Service Executive said on RTÉ Radio that the college recommended that certain complex cases would be best carried out at larger, better-equipped hospitals.
It was also recommended that someone be appointed to oversee surgical services at the hospital and that surgical staff and skills be increased.
The report recommended a review be undertaken to assess which procedures are undertaken too infrequently to maintain the competence of surgeons and also to assess the quality of clinical management in certain cases.
It is understood that some of the cases being examined are ones where concern has been raised, while other cases have been chosen at random.
Allegations of bullying at the hospital are also being investigated.
Over the past year there have been concerns and controversies surrounding most of the general hospitals in the region: Monaghan, Cavan, Drogheda and now Navan.
