STAFFING PROBLEMS HAVE raised concerns that the State’s forensic pathology service may not have sufficient personnel to assist criminal investigations to the required level, a new report has warned.

A review of the Office of the State Pathologist by the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland has expressed concern about the serious risk that difficulties in recruiting specialists could impact on the investigation of homicides and suspected homicides.

The report was commissioned by the Department of Justice in July against the background of the retirement of the state’s two most experienced pathologists.

It warned the OSP was facing serious staffing difficulties and the vacancy of Chief State Pathologist had not been filled since the retirement of Dr Cassidy in September 2018 while a Deputy State Pathologist, Michael Curtis retired this summer.

It noted that there is now only one Deputy State Pathologist, Linda Mulligan and an external locum to deliver a service that in recent years had required a rota of three full-time forensic pathologists plus an external locum for cover.

“The primary concern is that there will not be enough staff to deliver the state forensic pathology service to the required level,” the report said.

It also warned that insufficient training capacity could also compromise the training of the acting deputy pathologist.

Remuneration levels offered for working with the OSP are not sufficiently attractive compared to those available to pathologists working in hospital settings in Ireland or with pathologists in other countries, according to stakeholders.

The report recommended that an immediate review should be carried out on the remuneration package offered for the role of Chief State Pathologist.

It noted there was also a worldwide shortage of forensic pathologists. However, it said other countries emphasised the importance of a national training scheme for ensuring self-sufficiency in forensic pathology.

It added: “In Ireland, the absence of a training scheme for forensic pathology appears to be a major factor giving rise to recruitment challenges.”

Speciality

Forensic pathology is not recognised as a medical speciality by the Irish Medical Council unlike in the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.

An application to the IMC for speciality recognition in 2011 was refused on the basis there were too few practitioners in Ireland.

The report said a fresh application needed to be made as a matter of urgency to ensure the future of the forensic pathology service.

Figures show the OSP dealt with 286 cases last year – up from 261 in 2017 – including 196 forensic cases.

In its latest annual report, Dr Curtis described the OSP as being “in a state of flux”. He also claimed having forensic pathology recognised as a medical speciality by the IMC would be “a critical factor in the advancement of the forensic pathology service in Ireland”.

In terms of governance of the OSP, which comes under the remit of the Department of Justice, the report said there was “room for improvement”.

It said the current structure where the OSP was like a medical unit within the Department of Justice was different to many other jurisdictions where forensic pathology services had strong formal links with universities and teaching hospitals.

“This may impact on the attractiveness of roles in forensic pathology and the opportunities for teaching and research,” it observed.

The report noted that paediatric and perinatal pathology expertise in Ireland was provided by two retired pathologists.