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Irishhealth.com
December 7, 2001
Woods inquiry verdict
by Fergal Bowers
One of the country's most
well-known doctors has been found guilty of professional misconduct by the
Fitness to Practise Committee (FTPC) of the Medical Council, following the
biggest inquiry of its kind in this country, irishhealth.com can exclusively
reveal.
The case involving Dr Moira Woods, the social campaigner and former head of the
Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda Hospital, began in October 1999.
In the inquiry it was alleged that Dr Woods made false claims of child sexual
abuse involving 11 children from five families. She has strongly rejected the
claims and allegations of professional misconduct and has argued that her
actions were clinically justified.
The abuse allegations were initially made by social workers.
The controversy relates to events in the late 80s and the first allegations
concerning Dr Woods were made in 1992. Children were removed from families and
taken into care, but later returned. In one case, five children from one family
were taken into care.
The Fitness to Practise Committee made its decision to find her guilty of
professional misconduct after over 40 days of evidence. A large number of
witnesses, including international experts gave evidence at the inquiry.
Its report will now to go before the full Medical Council which will decide
whether any sanctions should apply.
It will also be open to Dr Woods to challenge any negative finding or penalty
in the High Court.
While the Medical Council had sought to have the case in public - successful
court action by a health board resulted in it being heard in private. However,
the High Court gave the Council the power to publish a full report of the
inquiry, with the names of the children and families not to be disclosed.
Recently, legislation was passed to grant health workers and others immunity
from being sued if they reported, in good faith, cases of suspected child
abuse. However, the legislation predated the events in the Woods inquiry.
A White Paper on mandatory reporting of child abuse is also overdue from the government,
which has committed itself to a mandatory reporting system.