http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=2162
Irishhealth.com
April 30, 2001
Medical Council to give verdict in Woods case
Hearings in the biggest
Medical Council inquiry of its kind in this country have finally ended,
irishhealth.com can reveal.
The Council's Fitness to Practise Committee (FTPC) met at the weekend to hear
the final submissions after over 40 days of evidence in a case where it is
alleged that a prominent doctor made false claims of child sexual abuse
involving 11 children from five families.
The case began in October 1999.
At the centre of the case is Dr Moira Woods, the social campaigner and former
head of the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda Hospital. She has
strongly denied all allegations of professional misconduct.
The case was heard in private and the Council's FTPC will now consider the
evidence and deliver a verdict. Given the length of the case, a ruling is not
expected for some months.
The controversy relates to events in the late 80s and the first allegations
concerning Dr Woods were made in 1992.
The Council can clear Dr Woods of the allegations, or it could decide to impose
a penalty if she is found to be guilty of professional misconduct. The Council
has been given the power to publish a full report of the inquiry, with the
names of the children and families, kept private.