Doctor barred over text messages

A DOCTOR who sent abusive messages to colleagues has been barred from practicing here and faces suspension by British medical authorities.

Dr Thomas Joseph Sheehan from Kilbarry Road, Dunmanway, Co Cork, sent bizarre and threatening messages to three former colleagues including a former president of the Irish Medical Organisation.

Details of his behaviour emerged after a recent fitness to practice hearing of Britain’s General Medical Council (GMC).

Dr Sheehan was struck off the medical register here in July 2007, but the reasons were not made public. They emerged last week in a report released by the GMC and included sending abusive messages to three colleagues in 2006, one of whom was Dr Paula Gilvarry, former president of the IMO.

The report of his hearing, held in London on May 22, said the messages sent to Dr Gilvarry, Liz Comerford and Orla Nicholson were so inappropriate he deserved to be punished.

However, it did not share the opinion of the Irish inquiry which deemed his conduct bad enough to ban him from operating as a doctor.

“While the text messages sent by Dr Sheehan were abusive, offensive and threatening and the content of them was undoubtedly bizarre they were not sufficiently serious to justify striking him off the register,” the report said.

Dr Sheehan has 16 days to appeal his 12-month suspension in Britain.

The Irish inquiry was held on April 30, 2007, and its decision to ban Dr Sheehan from working was secured by the High Court last July.

Efforts were made to contact Dr Sheehan yesterday but he had not made a statement at the time of going to press.