Sir, - The recent Finlay Report into the Blood Transfusion Service Board presented an impartial and objective evaluation of the events which led to the transmission of Hepatitis C, by blood products. It is clear that major errors of judgement occurred during the period in question. However, subsequent to these tragic events there is now a new medical director appointed after open competition and a new chief executive. The positions of quality control manager and chief scientific/technical officer have been advertised. In addition, new premises will be built on the St James's Hospital site and the Cork Regional Transfusion Centre will be upgraded. Thus the process of essential change, to ensure the most effective and modern transfusion service, is well underway.
However, on the Morning Ireland radio programme of March 19th, Ms Mary Harney TD was interviewed in response to an incident which had just occurred. A previous donor, who had contracted Hepatitis C from blood products was recalled for a donation. It had been clearly explained through the media that this was due to an unfortunate clerical error. This type of error should not occur, but we were assured by the chief executive that alterations to the computer system of recall were in hand to prevent a similar error. This, however, was obviously a disturbing experience for the lady in question, but it has been repeatedly pointed out there was no possibility that this lady's blood would have been accepted, should she have presented herself at the donor clinic.
Despite this, Ms Harney has implied that this error would have had fatal consequences and further stated that she "would be very worried indeed" to receive a blood transfusion. These remarks from a leading politician are irresponsible as, if her outburst had the effect of causing a patient to decline a needed transfusion it would have serious consequences.
However, Ms Harney went even further by demanding the removal of the entire staff of the Transfusion Service and putting in place "something new - that can have public confidence, and nothing less will satisfy the public and get rid of this awful scandal". In this context Ms Harney intermixed the Hepatitis C problem, which has now been fully evaluated, with the current minor error of donor recall and inter alia took the opportunity to score cheap political points off the Minister for Health. To suggest that the entire staff of the Transfusion Service should be or could be "fired" and replaced by some unknown entities defies all logic. Ms Harney suggested that something be done which the Finlay Tribunal, after careful evaluation of all the facts, did not even consider.
Ms Harney stated "she is tired of formal enquiries" but is quite happy to make judgements and to propose ill-judged subjective solutions, in the absence of tried and tested evidence, irrespective of the consequences. The current committed members of the staff of the Blood Transfusion Service Board who Ms Harney declares are "rotten to the core" deserve a retraction of these unacceptable and potentially dangerous proposals. We expect more from a senior politician and to paraphrase Ms Harney: "This is not good enough." Yours, etc.,
PhD, FAMLS,
President,
Academy of Medical
Laboratory Science,
Old Kilmainham,
Dublin 8.