Doctor lied about experience to get job

A PALESTINIAN doctor working in Ireland has admitted that he lied about his medical experience to secure a job with the Health Service Executive.

Dr Ahmad Alastal, who is based in Portlaoise, Co Laois, yesterday pleaded guilty to four charges of professional misconduct when he appeared before a sitting of the Irish Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee.

Dr Alastal, 38, accepted he had falsely claimed to have worked as a junior doctor at a hospital in Gaza between 2004 and 2006 at a time when he was actually studying in Dublin. He also made a false declaration that he had worked as a senior house officer at a GP’s surgery in Castleknock between 2006 and 2007 when in fact he had merely been a medical observer there.