Number of doctors not on register ‘shocking’

The Medical Council says the rate of complaints it receives about hospital consultants who are not on the specialist register is “slightly more” than those who are.

The vice-president of the Medical Council, Dr Anthony Breslin, said 254 doctors who are not on the specialist register have indicated they practise as hospital consultants and 149 work solely in public health.

Fianna Fáil’s health spokesman, Stephen Donnelly, described the situation as “absolutely shocking” at a meeting of the joint committee on health yesterday.