"A grotesque example of spin"

Rebecca O’Malley was on Today with Pat Kenny last Friday giving her reaction to the publication of the HIQA report into her cancer misdiagnosis (See here for previous post).

At the core of this case lies the life threatening monster that is the Health Service Executive (HSE). This is a monster that has put patient’s lives at risk in order to protect its own rotten system.

When Rebecca O’Malley went to the HSE expressing her concerns about other women who may have been misdiagnosed she was urged not to go public as it might cause panic.

She agreed on condition that an independent investigation be initiated. The HSE agreed but they were lying, nothing was done.

Eventually, O’Malley was forced, by the life endangering incompetence of the HSE, to personally assume responsibility for the lives of all the women who may have been misdiagnosed, she had to go public to force the HSE into action.

The man in charge of the HSE, Prof. Drumm said that Ms. O’Malley had been ‘let down’.

Let down??? The woman had been misdiagnosed and didn’t find out until 14 months later. Had to have a mastectomy, suffered gruelling chemotherapy and eventually had to have another operation because the cancer had spread.

When she asked the HSE to warn other women of the danger they may be in she was put under pressure to keep her mouth shut. When she asked for an investigation, they lied to her.

Let’s be absolutely clear about what happened here – A person or persons within the HSE consciously decided that it was preferable to risk the lives of an unknown number of women rather than admit to incompetence. These people are still there, still making decisions at the heart of the HSE monster.

And all Prof Drumm, this fool of a man, could say was that she was ‘let down’.

No wonder Rebecca O’Malley described his comments as a grotesque example of spin.