Peamount Hospital, the national specialist referral centre for tuberculosis (TB), has terminated the contract of its medical director with effect from Monday as part of a plan to close its TB unit. Dr Muiris Houston, Medical Correspondent, reports.
The action by Peamount has been greeted with dismay by experts in infectious disease and respiratory medicine.
While it was known that the board of Peamount Hospital planned to discontinue TB and other acute respiratory services, the decision to terminate the contract of its medical director, Prof Luke Clancy, in the absence of a timeframe for the transfer of these services was unexpected.
The Irish Times understands that Prof Clancy intends to take legal action, seeking to challenge the move by the hospital.
According to one source, the decision by Peamount to phase out its TB unit would remove "an essential safety net" in the treatment of TB in the Republic.
The source added that without a national facility there was a danger of higher rates of infection by multi-drug-resistant TB.
It is understood that hospital management has been advised that it would be unsafe to admit new patients without recognised consultant cover.
Concern was also expressed that, with the accession of states like Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to the EU on May 1st - all of which have much higher rates of TB than existing members of the EU - the Republic should be increasing the resources available in this area.
The Netherlands yesterday reported a large outbreak of multi-drug-resistant TB linked to a patient from eastern Europe.
The hospital says the move is part of a new management structure under a five-year strategy.
"This will see the hospital refocusing its services to provide a range of rehabilitation and continuing care services," the hospital said.
A spokesman for the hospital added: "There will be no immediate impact on the TB unit."
However, medical sources have pointed out that, contrary to normal practice, from Monday patients will be cared for by six non-consultant hospital doctors and a senior medical officer.
Prof Clancy is a recognised expert on TB as well as a prominent campaigner in the anti-smoking alliance which was instrumental in persuading the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to introduce a workplace smoking ban.
He has been medical director of the 60-bed unit since 1980 and serves on EUROTB, an EU body, in an advisory capacity.
There is no suggestion of malpractice by Prof Clancy or by any other staff at Peamount.
In a letter to Prof Clancy terminating his employment, the chairman of the hospital board, Mr Graham Crisp, noted that the medical director had been "ardently opposed to the hospital's strategy, led by the current chief executive, concerning the restructuring of management at Peamount".