Madam, – Recent errors concerning misdiagnosis in early pregnancy place the spotlight on the suitability of equipment, the standards of training and the strength of procedures in ultrasound assessment of early pregnancy in the Irish health care system. It would be a major mistake, however, to see the solution in terms of extra resources for hospitals only.
This is an ideal opportunity to review the role of appropriate scanning investigations in primary care. Basic ultrasound assessment is still relatively unusual in Irish general practice, but providing basic scanning services through general practices would ensure extra rigour in all assessments, while complex cases will always need to be assessed in specialist hospital centres.
Any proposals to reduce errors should involve general practice in the solution. – Yours, etc,