A LEADING article in the editions of Saturday, December 7th, was critical of the two health boards involved in the recent case of a doctor who tested positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), on the grounds that they had not arranged a press conference until after they were approached by this newspaper and that they admitted that the doctor was a surgeon only after direct questioning.

In fact a press conference had been arranged in advance and was brought forward only when it became apparent to the health board officials that the story would appear in print before the originally-arranged conference had been held. The original timing of the press conference had been determined in order that all patients with any possible direct involvement in the case could be informed, privately before the story broke in the media, and in order to minimise any unnecessary, public alarm. The doctor, in question was a Non-Consultant Hospital Doctor who, while qualified to work under the supervision of a surgeon, was not himself a surgeon.

This newspaper accepts that all reasonable professional steps were taken by the health boards in question and regrets any distress or embarrassment that may have been provoked by the misplaced criticism.