The Medical Council has proposed an increase in the number of its lay members in its submission to the Minister of Health on a new Medical Practitioners Act.
In a demonstration of its new policy, Ms Geraldine Feeney yesterday became the first non-professional member to attend a Medical Council press conference. She told The Irish Times that extra lay members would make a difference at all levels of the council's business but in particular by increasing lay representation on the key Fitness to Practise Committee.
At present a typical Fitness to Practise Committee has five members, only one of whom is not a doctor.
Prof Gerard Bury, president of the Medical Council, would not specify what percentage of lay membership the council had proposed to the Minister for Health, Mr Martin. However, the profession's representatives looked forward to a more direct link with the public which would come from extra representation.
Dr Tony Carney, the dean of the medical school in UCG, called for a significant investment by the Department of Health and employers in medical education. "Without successful medical training you will not find good medical practice," he said.
Council members responded to criticism from the medical profession on the publication of the names of doctors who have been erased from the medical register.
While defending the importance of informing the public of the decisions of its Fitness to Practise Committee, Prof Bury acknowledged that doctors unable to practise for health reasons deserved a separate listing from those found guilty of professional misconduct.
The council outlined 10 core policies which it hopes to see implemented by 2003. These include issues such as competence assurance, the responsibilities of employing agencies and a new model of internship, the first rung on the medical training ladder.