Department of Health orders review of ALL NI outpatient services after neurology consultant investigation
RQIA to look at rolling programme of inspections
Last updated 2nd May 2018
All outpatient services across Northern Ireland are now set to be reviewed in the wake of the Belfast Trust’s neurology patient recall.
The Department of Health today directed the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) watchdog to initially “undertake a review of governance of outpatient services in the Belfast Trust” with a particular focus on neurology.
But this will then be extended as part of “rolling programme” of inspections covering all five Health Trusts.
It follows the recall for case review of some 2,500 neurology patients under the care of Dr Michael Watt.
The Department has also asked the RQIA to examine Dr Watt’s patient records including those who have died under his care in the past 10 years.
In addition, a review will be carried out into the handling of the process since the Trust became aware of Dr Watt’s practice.
In a statement Permanent Health Secretary, Richard Pengelly, said: “The Department’s first priority is to ensure the Belfast Trust promptly completes the recall process so that all of the patients who are part of Dr Watt’s caseload are reviewed to ensure that their diagnosis is appropriate and that they are receiving the right type of treatment and care.
“These are clearly important wider questions which will need to be addressed both to fully understand and assess the impact of what has happened and also to ensure that we can have confidence in the safety of neurology services now and in the future."