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Apology Issued for Neurologist's Patient Care Failures
10 Sep
Summary
- Health Minister apologizes for failings in care by ex-neurologist.
- Review confirmed harm due to delayed, misdiagnosed, or wrong treatment.
- Families criticize report for examining only a small patient sample.
Health Minister Robbie Butler has issued an apology for failings in the care of patients treated by former Belfast neurologist Michael Watt. This follows the publication of a final review into the care of deceased patients, which confirmed that some individuals suffered harm due to delayed or incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate treatments. The review, conducted by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), highlighted the devastating impact of poor clinical practice and inadequate oversight.
Thousands of patients were recalled in 2018 for re-examinations amid concerns over Watt's treatment. Watt was removed from the medical register in 2023 after his performance was deemed unacceptably low. Despite the findings, some families feel the review is insufficient, noting that it only examined about 1-2% of the total patient cases, leaving the full scope of Watt's practice unaddressed.
Families have expressed that their concerns were dismissed for decades, with a culture of setting aside those who raised issues. The Belfast Health Trust has also offered its unreserved apologies to all affected by the neurology recalls since May 2018, acknowledging the pain and trauma experienced by patients and their loved ones.
