Medical Council warns over Practitioners Bill

THE Medical Council has warned that the new Medical Practitioners Bill, published yesterday, could prevent it from acting in the public interest in the future.

Council president Dr John Hillery said the bill, as it was currently worded, would allow the Minister for Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to divert it from activities that others may find “discomforting”. The council, which has called for the proposed legislation to be amended, has warned that the system must not be built to fail again.

Dr Hillery said the wording of the bill must be changed to guarantee the independence of the council. Under the bill, expected to be law by April, medical practitioners will no longer make up the majority of the council, the body responsible for regulating doctors in Ireland.