THE South Eastern Health Board yesterday confirmed recent reports that a healthcare worker who died of a HIV-related illness in 1987 was a doctor.
The board said it carried out an internal investigation to identify the worker and to "assess any possible risk to the public". It added that up to that point it had not been informed of the case.
The investigation found that the worker was a doctor and an assessment of the doctor's work was carried out by an expert committee. The board was satisfied that the doctor's work "posed no risk whatsoever to the public".
It was during this investigation that another health care worker who suffered from a HIV-related illness was identified. The board, in a statement yesterday, said this worker did not work in the acute hospital service and retired in 1989
"Due to the nature of the work carried out by this health care worker, the board is confident that there has been no risk to the public. The South Eastern Health Board is not aware of any other personnel who are, or who have been, infected with HIV."