A CONSULTANT gynaecologist has lost her High Court appeal against her one-year suspension by the Medical Council arising from treatment provided by her to a number of patients, including a woman who later died.
However, a condition requiring Dr Andrea Hermann to confine her medical practice to a recognised training post, where her work would be supervised by a consultant acceptable to the Medical Council, must be altered, Mr Justice Peter Charleton said.
As the court had been told Dr Hermann would be unable to secure a training post, that condition would deprive her from ever working again and should be altered, the judge said. He directed Dr Hermann is to work in a post where she will be under the supervision of a consultant acceptable to the council.
Dr Hermann (46) was suspended last June and had conditions imposed after being found guilty of professional misconduct by the council in accordance with a recommendation by its fitness to practise committee. Dr Hermann appealed to the High Court against the sanctions and some conditions imposed but did not appeal the findings.
The committee had inquired into a number of reports over the care provided by Dr Hermann to patients at the privately-run Galway Clinic, Doughiska, near Galway city, between February 2005 and November 2008.
She must work with a person acceptable to the council to address deficiencies in her gynaecological surgical techniques.