Doctors should campaign for greater State assistance for the disabled and mentally handicapped, an Irish Medical Organisation seminar was told at the weekend. At the IMO's Doolin memorial lecture, Mr Tony O'Connor, a barrister, said doctors and their organisations should also lobby for a clear definition of the limitation period for taking negligence actions, as "the State should not ignore its duty to strike a balance between rights of patients and doctors in negligence actions.
"It is simply not good enough for limitation period in medical negligence actions to be determined on an ad hoc basis by the courts through deciding whether the delay in commencing proceedings against doctors is inordinate or inexcusable."
He asked if the unsung heroes "who make sacrifices and care in particular for the mentally handicapped and disabled" should "have to depend on litigation to get care and treatment assistance at home and elsewhere".