Junior doctor 'could not take pulse', inquiry told

The President of the Medical Council has expressed concern over legislation which does not require the competence of doctors coming from the EU to work in Ireland to be assessed.

Under the EU freedom of movement legislation, the Medical Council here is not allowed to assess the competence of doctors coming from within the EU.

It follows the case of a junior doctor from Romania, who it emerged during a fitness-to-practise inquiry yesterday could not take a patient's pulse at Letterkenny General Hospital in Co Donegal.

The doctor is no longer working at the hospital and the fitness-to-practise committee is to send a report to the medical council.

Council president Professor Kieran Murphy said he could not comment on the case as it had yet to come before the council, but he said the general issue had been of concern for some years.