Respected Garda Dies After Misdiagnosis

A senior member of the Gardaí in Cork has died this morning after being misdiagnosed in August 2003.

Supt Martin Dorney from Waterfall, Ballincollig, Co Cork, had been involved in a number of high profile investigations, but his career was cut short after being misdiagnosed while suffering from malignant melanoma.

His GP, Dr Pat Lee, was found guilty of misconduct last year in a Medical Council 'fitness to practice' inquiry after it emerged he had "skimmed" the results of the Garda's biopsy.

Mr Dorney, a married father-of-three, went to Dr Lee in August 2003 with concerns about a mole on his right thigh. Dr Lee removed the mole and later told Mr Dorney the results of a biopsy was that it was benign.

However, he failed to tell Mr Dorney that the report advised that further surgery was necessary.

When Supt Dorney was found to have skin cancer six years later, his doctor re-read the initial report and tried to conceal his error from his patient, the hearing was heard.

He would have had a 95 per cent chance of survival if he had been sent for further investigative tests in 2003. The medical council suspended Dr Lee for three months.

(DW)