Latest news with #IrishMedicalCouncil
The Journal
29-07-2025
- Health
- The Journal
One in four Irish doctors working over 48 hours a week, as hundreds left to work abroad in 2024
A QUARTER OF Irish doctors are working in excess of 48 hours a week, a report from the Irish Medical Council has found, while over 1000 voluntarily withdrew from the register last year, with most going to work abroad. Of the doctors who were working over 48 hours a week in 2024, just under half reported that they were working in direct patient care for over 48 hours a week. A quarter also said they have found it difficult to provide a patient with proper care at least once a week. The report from the Medical Council, published today, found that the Irish medical workforce is increasingly made up of doctors who obtained qualifications internationally, yet doctors from abroad are in some cases finding difficulty securing jobs here. The council found that there were only 20,962 practising doctors in the Republic in 2024, despite there being over 30,000 doctors on the medical register. The Medical Council has said that the findings highlight an 'urgent' need for strategic, sustainable investment in training, recruitment, and retention.' The study also found that 27.8% of Ireland's 20,962 clinically active doctors working in the Republic have an international qualification (meaning that they trained outside of Ireland, the EU, and the UK). Most of the internationally trained doctors got their qualifications in Pakistan (39.7%) follows by Sudan (21.3%). 1025 doctors voluntarily withdrew from theregister last year, with over 600 leaving to practice in another country. Advertisement Of that cohort, 352 obtained their qualifications in Ireland, whereas 172 trained in the EU of the UK, and 501 were international graduates from other countries. The majority who withdrew were general doctors, while 255 were specialists and 29 were trainee specialists. 149 doctors withdrew from the register because they wanted to stop practising medicine altogether. Many doctors reported travelling to the UK to obtain their specialist training there, with one doctor saying there is 'no career progression' in Ireland. Several international doctors reported difficulties in finding employment once they had come to Ireland and registered with the council here. Another said: 'I had been waiting to get a job in Ireland for the past 1.5 years, however I failed to secure a job or even land an interview. Other doctors discussed their experiences of deciding to move abroad for work. 'Pay is low, specialty understaffed, hours too long, I am burnt out. I have moved to Australia,' one doctor said. The report found that 12.9% of doctors said they are likely to consider reducing their hours in clinical practice. Jantze Cotter of the Medical Council said that retaining doctors in Ireland 'remains a challenge', and that doctors are in some cases working excessive hours, which can have a real impact on patient outcomes. Cotter said that working hours beyond what is set out as the limit by the European Working Time Directive contributes to 'stress, burnout and absenteeism'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Independent
02-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Medical Council urged to review how sick certs are being issued online with no phone or video consultations
Fine Gael TD, Frank Feighan, said there are 'serious issues and concerns' among employers and argued the online system is 'wide open to abuse'. The Sligo-Leitrim politician raised the matter in the Dáil on Wednesday afternoon following an Irish Independent investigation earlier this week. 'When it comes to someone's health, it is vital that a consultation takes place between a doctor and patient,' he said. 'From a medical practitioner's point of view, an employer's point of view and patient safety, there are some serious issues and concerns here.' Mr Feighan said he was aware that health minister, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, had been in touch with the Irish Medical Council about the matter and 'hoped some action will be taken following the interaction'. Minister MacNeill said 'it is an issue for enterprise, social protection and indeed health'. 'The Medical council is there to protect the public. Part of that is registering doctors and part of that is making sure they are operating to a very high standard. 'I would encourage the Medical Council to reflect on the issue that you have correctly highlighted, recognising the impact it may have on employers, particularly small businesses, and I can assure you that everyone in Government takes a strong interest in this'. The Irish Independent investigation revealed how employers are having to accept digital sick certs issued without any phone or video consultations being carried out by doctors - even though the Department of Social Protection refuses them for social welfare schemes because they do not meet the standard required. Certs are being advertised on some medical websites for between €25 and €45, with students and employees required to fill out an online questionnaire to allow their request to be reviewed. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more When Irish Independent reporters applied to six websites for sick certs complaining of headaches and flu symptoms, three arranged a phone call with a GP. Four of the sites did not ask for proof of identification and all provided a cert within a short timeframe. Medical professionals say that digital certification helps keep infectious people out of clinics and workplaces, and frees up scarce GP time. While the Irish Medical Council's guidelines do not require live interaction before a doctor signs off on a sick cert, concerns have been raised that the online system may be open to exploitation. Certs are also being provided to Irish students and employees by doctors based in countries outside the EU, who do not appear to be registered with the Irish Medical Council. The Sick Leave Act states certs have to be signed by GPs registered to practice here. The Irish Medical Council has been contacted for comment.
Irish Times
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
High Court cancels registration of former deputy state pathogist Dr Khalid Jaber
A former deputy state pathologist found guilty of professional misconduct over his post-mortem examination findings in two criminal cases has had his registration cancelled by the High Court. On Monday, High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville confirmed a decision of the Irish Medical Council (IMC) to impose the most severe sanction and cancel the registration of Dr Khalid Jaber. The judge also referred to 'bizarre communication' indicated in the court papers from Dr Jaber, who now lives in the Middle East. In these papers, the judge said the doctor made it clear he had no intention of participating, 'other than from the sidelines' with grenades to attack the IMC, the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) and former colleagues. Last February, the former deputy state pathologist was found guilty by a Medical Council fitness-to-practise committee of professional misconduct relating to his post-mortem findings in two cases. READ MORE The allegations against Dr Jaber related to post-mortem findings and related evidence that the Saudi-born pathologist gave to two cases before the Central Criminal Court. One of the cases collapsed and a murder conviction was quashed in the other. Both outcomes were due to the pathologist's testimony. The fitness-to-practise committee ruled that certain allegations of both professional misconduct and poor professional performance made against Dr Jaber were proven following a medical inquiry, held over six days between October 2024 and January 2025. Dr Jaber served as deputy state pathologist between 2009 and 2013 when he resigned in controversial circumstances amid reports of significant disagreements with the then chief state pathologist, Prof Marie Cassidy. In the High Court on Monday, Sinead Taaffe, of Fieldfisher solicitors for the Medical Council, said the fitness-to-practise committee was aware that the removal from the register is the most serious sanction. She said it did not consider Dr Jaber as having any insight into his own conduct and regarded himself the victim. The inquiry arose following a complaint to the Medical Council in August 2015. The pathologist was accused of giving evidence in a murder trial that blunt force trauma which caused fractures of the deceased's jaw had contributed to his death. This concerned the trial of Michael Furlong for the murder of his friend, Patrick Connors (37) in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford in April 2011. The committee, the High Court heard, was satisfied there was no pathological evidence to justify such a finding. The trial of Mr Furlong collapsed in 2013 following the dramatic intervention of Prof Cassidy when she notified the DPP of her concerns about Dr Jaber's evidence and the fact that his post-mortem report in the case had not been peer reviewed. The High Court subsequently prohibited the holding of a retrial. Separately, the fitness-to-practise committee found there was no pathological evidence to justify Dr Jaber's finding in a post-mortem report that the death of Francis Greene (48) at Steamboat Quay in Limerick in November 2009 was due to asphyxia and the related evidence he subsequently provided in court. The victim's badly decomposed body had been immersed in water for two months before being discovered. Gardaí believed Mr Greene had been forced into the River Shannon and died by drowning but Dr Jaber's evidence suggested he had been strangled before he ended up in the water. Kevin Coughlan of Avondale Drive, Greystones, Limerick had his conviction for the murder of Mr Greene quashed by the Court of Appeal in June 2015. However, he was subsequently convicted of Mr Greene's manslaughter at a retrial and sentenced to eight years in prison. The fitness-to-practise committee said it was 'totally inappropriate and unjustifiable' for Dr Jaber to have made such 'a definitive and unequivocal' finding about the cause of death in 'the complete absence' of any supporting evidence. It also ruled that he had failed to demonstrate he appreciated the fundamental difference between bite marks and tooth indentations as well as incorrectly equating hanging with strangulation in his evidence. Costs were awarded to the IMC.
Irish Examiner
30-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
High Court cancels registration of former deputy State pathologist for professional misconduct
A former deputy State pathologist who was found guilty of professional misconduct over his postmortem findings in two criminal cases has had his registration cancelled by the High Court. High Court president Mr Justice David Barniville confirmed a decision of the Irish Medical Council to impose the most severe sanction and cancel the registration of Dr Khalid Jaber. The judge also referred to 'bizarre communication' indicated in the court papers from Dr Khalid Jaber who now lives in the Middle East in which the judge said the doctor made it clear he had no intention of participating, 'other than from the sidelines' with grenades to attack the Irish Medical Council, the DPP and former colleagues. The former deputy State pathologist was last February found by a Medical Council Fitness to Practise Committee guilty of professional misconduct relating to his postmortem findings in two cases. The allegations against Dr Jaber related to postmortem findings and related evidence that the Saudi-born pathologist gave to two cases before the Central Criminal Court – one of which collapsed and the other where a murder conviction was quashed both due to the pathologist's testimony. The Council Fitness to Practise Committee ruled that certain allegations of both professional misconduct and poor professional performance made against Khalid Jaber were proven following a medical inquiry which was held over six days between October 2024 and January 2025. Dr Jaber served as deputy State pathologist between 2009 and 2013 when he resigned in controversial circumstances amid reports of major disagreements with the then chief State pathologist, Marie Cassidy. In the High Court on Monday, Sinead Taaffe of Fieldfisher solicitors for the Medical Council said the Council Fitness to Practise Committee was aware that the removal from the register is the most serious sanction. She said it did not consider Mr Jaber, aged 66, had any insight into his own conduct and he regarded himself the victim. Professional misconduct - case 1 The inquiry arose following a complaint to the Medical Council in August 2015. The pathologist was accused of giving evidence in the trial of Michael Furlong for the murder of his friend, Patrick Connors, aged 37, in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, in April 2011 that blunt force trauma which caused fractures of the deceased's jaw had contributed to his death. The committee, the High Court heard, was satisfied there was no pathological evidence to justify such a finding. The trial of Mr Furlong collapsed in 2013 following the dramatic intervention of Prof. Cassidy when she notified the DPP of her concerns about Dr Jaber's evidence and the fact that his postmortem report in the case had not been peer reviewed. The High Court subsequently prohibited the holding of a retrial. Professional misconduct - case 2 Separately, the Fitness to Practise Committee found there was no pathological evidence to justify Dr Jaber's finding in a postmortem report that the death of Francis Greene, aged 48, at Steamboat Quay in Limerick in November 2009 was due to asphyxia and the related evidence he subsequently provided in court. The victim's badly decomposed body had been immersed in water for two months before being discovered. Gardaí believed Mr Greene had been forced into the River Shannon and died by drowning but Dr Jaber's evidence suggested he had been strangled before he ended up in the water. Kevin Coughlan of Avondale Drive, Greystones, Limerick, had his conviction for the murder of Mr Greene quashed by the Court of Appeal in June 2015. However, he was subsequently convicted of Mr Greene's manslaughter at a retrial and sentenced to eight years in prison. The Fitness to Practise Committee said it was 'totally inappropriate and unjustifiable' for Dr Jaber to have made such 'a definitive and unequivocal' finding about the cause of death in 'the complete absence' of any supporting evidence. It also ruled that he had failed to demonstrate he appreciated the fundamental difference between bite marks and tooth indentations as well as incorrectly equating hanging with strangulation in his evidence. On Monday, costs were also awarded to the Irish Medical Council in the High Court.
Irish Independent
30-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
The Irish Independent's View: Regulation of sick certs important for workers and businesses
This entitlement ensures that employees benefit from a minimum level of compensation if they are unable to work due to illness or injury. The Government was planning to expand the scheme even further this year to seven days and then 10 days, but a backlash from employers resulted in a climbdown. Business owners and representative bodies in the retail and hospitality sectors expressed concerns about the overall impact of such measures, particularly in the context of increasing labour, input and energy costs. The Government argued that the allowance of five days' paid leave strikes a balance, giving employees income protection for five days, after which they will be entitled to illness benefit. The rules are clear though. The same cannot be said about the provision of sick certs for workers who are ill. The growth in population has resulted in a shortage of doctors. GP appointments are no longer a case of just ringing the surgery and dropping in. The supply of digital sick certs is a growing trend So employees who need a sick cert to ensure their time off is covered by their bosses have to turn to alternative means of getting a cert. The supply of digital sick certs is a growing trend. However, some of these certs are issued without any phone or video consultations being carried out by doctors. Sick certs are being advertised on some medical websites for between €25 and €45, with students and employees required to fill out an online questionnaire to allow their request to be reviewed. When Irish Independent reporters applied to six websites for sick certs, complaining of headaches and flu symptoms, three sites arranged a phone call with a GP. Four of the sites did not ask for proof of identification and all provided a cert within a short timeframe. Medical professionals say that digital certification helps keep infectious people out of clinics and workplaces, and frees up scarce GP time. And undoubtedly there are operators who are running a credible, valuable and legitimate service. The Irish Medical Council's guidelines do not require live interaction before a doctor signs off on a sick cert. However, concerns have been raised that the online system may be open to exploitation. For example, one website with an Indian domain name offers sick certs to employees in around 40 countries for prices 'as low as €25'. The cert did not appear to include a number for the Irish Medical Council register, therefore is not applicable in Ireland – provided the employer knows the rules. Like much of the telemedicine sector, the rules appear vague. Undoubtedly, there are benefits to telemedicine and the use of technology. But there is an obligation on the Irish Medical Council to step in with hard and fast regulations.
