‘There must be separation between church and medicine’: Dr Chris Fitzpatrick on quitting the project board

IRELAND
Irish Independent

Kathy Armstrong
April 28 2017

Doctors will find it “very difficult” to have clinical independence working in a hospital that is owned by a religious organisation, Prof Chris Fitzpatrick said today.

Dr Fitzpatrick stepped down from his role on the project board of the National Maternity Hospital in solidarity with Dr Peter Boylan and expressed his concerns about the Sisters of Charity having ownership of the €300m taxpayer-funded facility.

Speaking on Today With Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio one, he said: “I was concerned and have been concerned in relation to the ownership ad governance model that has emerged from recent negotiations.

“I very much share the view of Dr Peter Boylan and felt I’d no alternative other than to resign from my position on the project board.

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