The three Dublin-based obstetricians who conducted a review of the work of Dr Michael Neary after initial concerns were raised about his high rate of hysterectomies and found he had no case to answer have had "serious regrets", according to the Lourdes hospital inquiry report.
The three obstetricians are not named in the report but The Irish Times understands they are Prof Walter Prendiville, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Coombe Women's Hospital in Dublin; Dr John Murphy, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street; and Dr Bernard Stuart of the Coombe Women's Hospital.
They conducted a review of nine cases selected by Dr Neary in late 1998. They filed reports after a brief examination of the case records of the nine patients, his most recent Caesarean hysterectomies.
They found he had no case to answer.
They also expressed the belief that the incidence of Caesarean hysterectomy would be cut if female sterilisations were available at the hospital. They recommended this be available to patients and that a vascular surgeon be available for consultation in the hospital in cases of uncontrollable bleeding.
Only one of the obstetricians could be contacted yesterday. Prof Prendiville said he had "no comment".
When interviewed by the inquiry, the obstetricians explained that their limited reports were "prepared on a confidential basis to enable Dr Neary to continue working, pending the outcome of the review of his practice by the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists".
Judge Maureen Harding Clark observed in her report: "I believe that the three obstetricians involved have had serious regrets for their part in producing these reports, which were motivated by compassion and collegiality".
She added: "They ought to have been alarmed."
As a result of their reviews, Dr Neary returned to work subject to restrictions. But he didn't return for long. The health board sought the views of Dr Michael Maresh, an obstetrician based in Manchester, and he reviewed the same nine cases and expressed major concerns.