Vaccination of family members in Coombe was a ‘consensus decision’: report



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The Medical Council plans to review the independent report on family members’ vaccinations in detail at Coombe Hospital and consider its findings.

The council, the regulator of the medical profession, was one of the parties that sent the Dublin hospital board report upon completion of the review.

Brian Kennedy SC concluded in its 39-page report, commissioned by the board, that 16 vaccines were administered to one or more family members of eight staff members at the hospital at a time when doses nationwide were prioritized for frontline healthcare workers and nursing homes.

Among the family members who received the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on the night of Friday, January 8, were two children of the hospital teacher, Professor Michael O’Connell.

The report found that a doctor took doses of the vaccine from the hospital to home and administered them to two family members from the vaccine left in a diluted vial they had been using.

The physician, referred to as “Consultant B” in the report, is understood to be Dr. Carmen Regan, obstetrician at Coombe. He has not responded to contacts seeking comment.

Transparency

Mary Donovan, Chairman of the Coombe board, said that “in the interests of transparency and accountability,” the Kennedy report was posted online and copies were shared with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly, the HSE and the Medical Council.

The council is likely to consider the report when it meets next week.

Donnelly said he’s reviewing the report. Paul Reid, HSE CEO, told The Irish Times that he was awaiting Donnelly’s review before making any comments.

The Coombe board described vaccinating family members, including the two in a consultant’s family home, as “mistakes.” Ms. Donovan said “it shouldn’t have happened.”

“Lessons must and will be learned to ensure that similar problems are not repeated,” the board said.

According to Kennedy’s report, Professor O’Connell told the attorney that an email he sent to all hospital staff the day The Irish Times first reported that vaccination of family members was not ” completely correct and did not fully reflect what happened at the time. ” Friday night. “He had told staff in his email that he had made the decision to vaccinate family members.

Public relations

Professor O’Connell said the email to staff was prepared with the hospital’s public relations advisers, Murray Consultants, in response to the Irish Times article.

He said that public relations advisers had expressed the opinion that it would be better for the hospital staff to say that the decision had come from him as a teacher rather than being a consensus decision to protect others who were present. at night.

In his report, Mr. Kennedy concluded that a “consensus decision” was reached between a group of 11 consultants and staff on the night that the excess doses should be administered to family members, but concluded that if the Professor O’Connell would not agree, he would not. has passed.

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