A CONSULTANT gynaecologist has been suspended from practising by a private hospital in Galway.
Dr Andrea Hermann was suspended late last year by the Galway Clinic over concerns about patient outcomes in a number of cases.
Dr Hermann sought an interlocutory injunction in the High Court in late November against the hospital to stop it withdrawing her rights to practise at the clinic.
Her application for an injunction was refused by the court at that time, but the court was told there would be an independent review of her work in a small number of cases where there were concerns about patient care before the matter came back before it for mention today.
The Irish Times understands that the review of her work has now been completed and on foot of this Dr Hermann’s rights to practise at the Galway Clinic were withdrawn last week.
Staff, including the hospital’s medical advisory committee, were informed of this development on Friday last.
Dr Hermann could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
Dr Jimmy Sheehan, chief executive of the Galway Clinic, said when contacted that he had no comment to make.
Dr Hermann was previously suspended from carrying out surgical procedures at the Galway Clinic in December 2005. The clinic said at the time this was pending the outcome of a review into two operations in January and December 2005 where complications arose.
However, following an independent review by two consultant gynaecologists in March 2006, her full access to the clinic’s surgical facilities were restored.
An action taken by Dr Hermann of Rockbarton Court, Galway, against the clinic over its decision at that time to suspend her was subsequently settled in mid-2006 on undisclosed terms.
Dr Hermann sought a declaration from the court at that time that she was entitled to the use surgical facilities at the clinic, an injunction restraining the clinic from contacting her patients without her authorisation and an injunction restraining the defendants from interfering with her carrying out her duties at the clinic.
She also sought damages for loss of reputation, breach of contract and misrepresentation. The defendants had denied the claims.
The court also heard at that time that Dr Hermann paid €350,000 in June 2004 for a long-term lease on a consulting suite at the hospital which is on the outskirts of Galway city.