Cancer probe told cases ignored

Press, 16 September 1987, Page 3

Cancer probe told cases ignored

PA Auckland An internal investigation in 1975 into the cervical cancer management programme at National Women’s Hospital dropped without explanation investigations into more than half of the cases presented to it, a commission of inquiry was told yesterday.

Professor Denis Bonham, the former chairman of the hospital’s medical committee, was yesterday challenged to explain this during crossexamination at the inquiry into the practices of Dr Herbert Green, who was in charge of the programme. The internal committee of inquiry report to Professor Bonham’s committee stated that it had been formed in response to “certain apparent misgivings voiced by some staff members” over whether Dr Green’s management programme had been “adhered to.” Staff members were concerned about 14 cases “whose notes we have studied in detail,” said the report. “An over-all list of some 29 cases was originally presented to us. This included the 14 cases mentioned, but investigation of the remaining 15

cases revealed that they did not apply to this inquiry.” During cross-examina-tion by Dr Rodney Harrison, who represents Sandra Coney and Phillida Bunkie, co-authors of an article in “Metro” magazine which sparked the inquiry, Professor Bonham was asked if he knew at the time of the internal inquiry that those 15 cases had been dropped. “I realised when I read the report. I can’t recall why they were excluded.” In his evidence-in-chief, Professor Bonham said the committee’s report had satisfied him that Dr Green and other clinicians involved in the conservative management programme were acting with personal and professional integrity and that the matters raised by the committee were not of “clinical urgency.” Dr Harrison: You

stressed that those doctors were acting with personal and professional integrity, yet the committee had not reported on all of their cases or determined whether they were being managed in accordance with approved practice. Professor Bonham: I really do not know where those cases went to. Dr Harrison: You say that you were satisfied with the committee’s report, yet it dealt with less than half of the patients presented to it. Professor Bonham: I don’t know from where those 29 cases arose. Dr Harrison: They were the 29 cases about which concern had been expressed, yet less than half of them were commented on. Professor Bonham: I recall they were first screened by the senior member of the committee of three. One must have faith in colleagues of that

seniority. Those cases were thrown out of the study by a very responsible member of the staff. The committee of inquiry comprised Drs Alastair Macfarlane (chairman), R. J. Seddon and Bruce Faris. Professor Bonham said their report made it apparent to him that tolerable differences of medical opinion had been exaggerated because of personality difficulties. He said one factor which led to the establishment of the committee of inquiry was Dr Green’s desire for “action to be taken over the matters raised in his memorandum filed in response to the memoranda from Drs William Mclndoe and John McLean.” Those two doctors had worked with Dr Green on the conservative management programme. Cross-examination of Professor Bonham will continue today.