This mirrors the current interdepartmental working group looking at negligence costs under Dr Rhona Mahoney, which has excluded patients and medical negligence victims. In contrast, the HSE, the Department of Health and National Treasury Management Agency are represented on the group.
The method of advertising for submissions resulted in a paltry 12 submissions, meaning that any report produced by this group will have close to zero input from those with lived experience of the medical negligence process but significant input from various vested interest groups. They then face a lengthy and costly battle with the unlimited resources of the Irish taxpayer lined up against them. In many cases, they are a mother having to take care of a child with a profound disability that requires 24-hour care. Given this, a little less “victim blaming” and a little more empathy would not go astray.
In terms of legal fees, the . This policy also prevents lessons being learned, resulting in entirely avoidable repeat errors.