http://irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=3305&var=print

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.