Watchdog has 'buried' cancer report, claims angry husband
Karl Henry (right)and his late wife Ann Moriarty, who died of breast cancer a year ago after doctors failed to diagnose her, pictured on their son Ciaran?s confirmation day in Ennis, Co Clare.
THE husband of cancer misdiagnosis victim Ann Moriarty hit out at the decision to publish the inquiry findings into his wife's death tomorrow as a "cynical attempt to do down the report".
Karl Henry, whose wife died of breast cancer a year ago after doctors failed to diagnose her cancer in Ennis General Hospital, said: "It is a cheap stunt. Are we being taken for complete and utter fools?"
The report, which is being published by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), examined the circumstances which led to Ms Moriarty and the late Edel Kelly having their cancers missed at the hospital.
Mr Henry said it was a cynical move to publish the report in the aftermath of yesterday's Budget and before the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
Mr Henry's wife died on April 25 last year after she was given the all-clear twice at Ennis General in the summer of 2007. The report will also deal with the misdiagnosis of Kilrush woman Edel Kelly (26) who died last June.
Health Minister Mary Harney bowed to increasing public concern last September over the misdiagnoses and announced the independent review of services at Ennis General.
Mr Henry's comments follow criticism by health campaigner Rebecca O'Malley of the decision to publish the report into cancer misdiagnosis at University College Hospital Galway on Monday, on the eve of the Budget. A HIQA report into the misdiagnosis of Mrs O Malley's cancer was published last year on the day former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern resigned.
Mr Henry accused HIQA yesterday of being "devious" in deciding to publish the report "when there be saturation coverage on economic matters and the country coming to a standstill after Thursday with Good Friday and the Easter weekend".
The report's publication also follows three days after the removal of 24-hour A&E services at Ennis and Nenagh General Hospitals. Cancer services are no longer provided at Ennis General.
Mr Henry said that he was contacted by a HIQA official yesterday afternoon to be informed of the report's publication tomorrow.
Suspicion
Mr Henry said: "This report is very important to the Midwest and very important for people from Donegal to Cork as there have been health failures all over the place and that is why the report should be published any other week rather than this week."
Mr Henry said that it was his strong suspicion that the decision to release the report was carefully planned.
Chairman of the Clare Branch of the Irish College of General Practitioners, Dr Michael Harty said yesterday that senior HSE managers confirmed at a meeting on Monday night that the HIQA report would be published tomorrow and "would not show Ennis in a good light".
A spokesman for HIQA yesterday declined to state when the report would be published, stating that it will be approved by HIQA's board this week and published "very soon after".
- Gordon Deegan and Eilish O'Regan
