A general practitioner who inappropriately exposed the breast of an officer in the Defence Forces during a consultation has been found guilty of poor professional performance by a Medical Council fitness-to-practise committee.
The GP, identified as Dr C, is alleged to have pulled down the left side of the sports bra of the soldier, Patient A, and exposed her left breast during the consultation at the Curragh Camp on September 19th, 2022.
On Monday, the committee found this allegation proven, along with three other factual allegations, including that the doctor failed to document adequately in A’s medical records his findings following the physical examination.
The committee further found proven that he prescribed an intramuscular injection, Rocephin, for A where this was not clinically appropriate and not in line with Irish antimicrobial prescribing practices.
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It was also found proven Dr C made an entry in A’s records documenting “cefexime 1gm” being prescribed, where this was inaccurate.
Chairwoman Marie Culliton said the committee found that one or more of the allegations individually, in combination or cumulatively amounted to poor professional performance.
The reasons for the committee’s findings included Dr C’s admissions as to fact, his admission that in combination they amounted to poor professional performance and the expert report of Prof Tom Fahey.
Culliton said that no findings were made regarding allegations of professional misconduct and contravention of the Medical Practitioners Act as these were not pursued by the chief executive of the Medical Council, Dr Maria O’Kane.
The patient was a captain in the Defence Forces at the time of the consultation and is now a commandant.
During submissions as to sanction the inquiry heard that Dr C agreed with submissions by the chief executive that he would be censured and would have conditions attached to his registration.
These conditions include that within 20 months of acceptance of conditions, he would provide evidence to the council of completion of three courses relating to prescribing, communication and infection prevention and control respectively.
Dr C also agreed to work with a nominated person regarding the formulation of a development plan which, in light of the findings made against him, would address issues such as clinical record-keeping and patient boundaries.
Dr C agreed to complete all the steps and objectives of the plan within 12 months of acceptance of conditions.
Further, Dr C agreed that he must offer a chaperone to female patients regarding intimate examinations and document the outcome of such an offer in the patient’s record.
Dr C also agreed to inform any current or prospective employer including any contracting organisation or locum agency of these conditions.
Dr C expressed his “sincere apologies” to A, the committee and the Irish Medical Council.
“It was an honest mistake, I did not intend to harm or abuse the patient. I have learned a lot ... I promise it won’t happen again,” he told the committee in an unsworn statement.
Dr C obtained his medical degree in Sudan in 1996 and worked as a GP in Saudi Arabia from 1999.
In November 2021, he registered on the general division with the Irish Medical Council and in 2022 he came to Ireland.
He provided locum GP services for a short time to the Defence Forces at Curragh training camp, Co Kildare.
On Monday the committee retired to consider their recommendations as to sanction, which will be forwarded to council.
