Pharmacists' body powerless to stop surgeon

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland has said it is powerless to prevent a surgeon whose conduct was described as "scandalous" from operating in the Republic as a pharmacist.

Dr Rodney Ledward was free to work in the State despite being found guilty in 1998 by the British National Health Service on 10 counts of misconduct, including a catalogue of errors during gynaecological operations.

Dr Ledward was known as a swashbuckling figure at the William Harvey Hospital, Kent, to which he was appointed a consultant gynaecologist in 1980, describing himself as "the fastest gynaecologist in the south-east". He had also obtained admitting rights to some of Britain's best-known private hospitals, including the Portland and Cromwell in London.

However, after one of his patients bled to death in theatre he was suspended in 1996 and struck off in 1998.

A total of 160 of Dr Ledward's former patients gave evidence at the inquiry, saying they believed that his surgery ruined their lives. Some 500 women complained about treatment and about 200 are seeking compensation from the NHS. Claims are expected to run to about £1.5 million sterling.

It has emerged that Dr Ledward, who had also qualified as a pharmacist in 1960, was subsequently given a Certificate of Good Standing by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) to allow him to be registered here as a pharmacist on March 11th, 1999. His name appears on a list of suitable locums prepared by the Irish Pharmaceutical Union.

Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Ms Ann Magee, the registrar of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, said the society, unlike other professional bodies, had no power to act as a fitness to practice committee for the profession - despite having conducted a 25-year lobbying campaign to be conferred with such powers.

"Under the regulations a person is entitle to register in Ireland if they meet equivalent qualification criteria in another EU country. They would have to apply to us for registration and this would involve getting a certificate of their standing with the relevant body in their own country."

Ms Magee confirmed that such a certificate of good standing was supplied by the RPSGB. There was, she said, "absolutely no indication" on the certificate that Dr Ledward had been involved in the British disciplinary cases.

Asked if the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland could have made a judgment on Dr Ledward's application in the light of its own knowledge of the judgment against him, Ms Magee said the society was "powerless to act because of a breach in another area of competency".

"Even if a complaint was made against him now, we would only be able to inquire, rather than to investigate," she said. A spokesman for the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, last night issued a statement saying: "The whole area of pharmacy legislation will be dealt with comprehensively in the context of a new Pharmacy Bill."

The spokesman could not indicate a time-scale for the introduction of the Bill, which the Department has been considering for some time.

The proposed Bill would "update and rationalise" pharmacy legislation, the spokesman said. He added that the Minister was unable to comment on specific cases.

Mr Martin said through his spokesman that he would seek a report on the matter from the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.