Doctor guilty of poor performance struck off medical register

A doctor found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to his employment in two different hospitals has been struck off the medical register by the High Court.

Dr Mohamed Elhassan was found guilty of three counts of poor professional performance and four of professional misconduct following a Medical Council fitness-to-practise inquiry into his employment with the Cavan/Monaghan mental health service between January and June 2013.

Among the findings against Dr Elhassan, who is from Sudan, were that he prescribed antidepressants, benzodiazepines and sleeping tablets to people who were not his patients or patients of the service.

Dr Elhassan, who told his supervisors he suffered from social anxiety and used benzodiazepines himself, admitted in correspondence with the Medical Council that prescribing the medications was a mistake but said he had done so out of compassion for the people involved.

Immediately after leaving Cavan/Monaghan when his contract was not renewed, he was employed in St Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Dublin, as a senior house officer, a second fitness-to-practise inquiry heard.

That second inquiry found him guilty of professional misconduct by failing to state on his CV, to the agency which employed him or to Loughlinstown hospital, that he had worked in Cavan/Monaghan.

It also found him guilty of poor professional performance in relation to a number of matters, including prescribing of dosages of medicines and keeping accurate records.

JP McDowell, solicitor for the Medical Council, said, following the first inquiry, it was recommended that Dr Elhassan should be suspended for two years with 14 conditions attached to his registration when he returns.

However, when the findings of the second inquiry came before the council, which was aware of the findings of the first inquiry, it decided it should recommend to the court he be struck from the register, Mr McDowell said.

The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, said he was satisfied the council made the correct decision and ordered the doctor be struck off.