Medical Council: Bullying is endemic throughout doctor training

Young doctors are bullying less-qualified colleagues, it has emerged.

A new report from the Medical Council reveals that trainee doctors are most likely to be bullied by another trainee at the next level or grade from their own.

“This indicates that bullying is endemic throughout the system,” said the council when it published a report on the training of young doctors yesterday.

The report found that 36% of trainees experienced bullying or harassment in their training posts, up 2% from 2014. Just over 4% did not feel physically safe at their clinical site.

Medical Council member Audrey Dillon said more research would be undertaken to identify the nature of the bullying and undermining behaviour so they could be targeted and addressed. The council started conducting a trainee experience survey since 2014 and the high level of bullying and undermining by trainees has been its main concerned.

“We have engaged with the Forum of Postgraduate Training Bodies and the Health Service Executive requesting that the issue of bullying and undermining be addressed. Both organisations are developing plans to respond to the issue,” the report states.

Just over half (51%) of 828 doctors who took part in the council’s survey felt medical school prepared them well for their intern year — their first time working in a clinical setting.

The council received 411 complaints about doctors last year, an 11% increase on the 369 received in 2015 and representing about 2% of practising doctors.

More than three quarters of complaints were made by members of the public and the remainder came from the Medical Council after it was notified by regulators in other countries.

Presenting the council’s annual report, John Barragry, said the typical doctor facing a complaint was a middleaged man who qualified in Ireland and was on the specialist register.

One in five complaints related to communication issues. The council’s preliminary proceedings committee found that no further action was required in 85% of complaints with 42 (10%) forwarded to the fitness to practice committee. Around 5% of cases were resolved by other means including mediation and professional competence assessment.

The number of inquiries held in private more than doubled over the last two years — from 12 in 2015 to 25 last year. There were 20 cases heard in public last year, compared to 18 in 2015.

The Medical Council cannot seek to hold an inquiry in private.

Such applications must come from another party — the doctor, witness or complainant.

The council said a slight majority of applications to have cases heard in private last year were brought by complainants or witnesses.

The council’s chief executive Bill Prasifka said it was extremely important that the position of the complainant was protected at all times.

Mr Prasifka also said cases were becoming more complicated and taking longer to hear, and this was putting a strain on their resources.

There were six doctors who had their registrations cancelled by the council last year while 29 had less severe sanctions imposed.

At the end of last year there were 21,795 doctors registered with the council, the highest number ever and a 6% increase on 2015.