Thousands of complaints made against doctors in five years

More than 2,000 complaints have been made against doctors, mostly by members of the public, over a five-year period, according to a new report by the Medical Council.

One in 10 complaints resulted in a fitness to practise inquiry and 68 per cent of these resulted in findings against the doctor, the council’s five-year review of complaints shows. Some form of sanctions was applied in all of these cases.

One in 40 complaints made by a member of the public results in a sanction against a doctor.

Male doctors were over twice as likely to be the subject of a complaint as female doctors, and complaints against them were more likely to proceed to a fitness to practise inquiry. Older doctors were also more likely to face a complaint.

A far higher proportion of complaints were made by the public (86 per cent), compared to similar regulatory bodies in other countries, and just 3 per cent came from the HSE or other employers.

The study identified some area which were described as more “complaint-prone” – psychiatry, cosmetic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, and locum/out-of-hours staffing.

Doctors who qualified in Ireland were less likely to experience a serious outcome through the disciplinary process than internationally qualified doctors. The review says there is a need to “consider” internationally trained doctored who may find it difficult to adapt to local expectations and working conditions.

Also, doctors subject to one complaint were more likely to face further complaints.

President Prof Freddie Wood said the council hoped to improve the response to concern about doctors' practice by reflecting on the findings of the report.

The review says that while medical knowledge and skill featured in complaints, they were often motivated by a poor experience of doctors’ attitudes and behaviours – communication with patients, caring with compassion and empathy, treating patients with dignity and relating effectively with patients’ families.

Patients presented complaints in a wide variety of styles, so some complaints may be more “hearable” than others, according to the review.

There were 1,723 complaints to the council in the period 2008 to 2012. Of these, 211 cited more than one doctor, giving a total of 2,056 complaints; 325 were subject to more than one complaint.

The number of complaints rose during the period, from 335 in 2008 to 488 in 2012, up 46 per cent. A doctor’s chance of being complained about rose to 2.7 per cent, about one-in-37.

Of 1,961 complaints investigated by the council’s preliminary proceedings committee, 221 were sent forward to the fitness to practise committee. This committee referred 148 complaints back to the council for sanction, and about one-quarter of these (40 cases) resulted in “high impact outcomes” that impacted on a doctor’s continuing registration.

Patients who made complaints reported experiencing negative emotions ranging from upset to anxiety and fear, according to the review. Many said they lost trust in the medical profession and for some, these reactions continued for a long time after the experience.

Doctors reported experiencing distress and anxiety, shock and disappointment and concern about negative publicity.

One of the factors contributing to the “rising tide” of complaints is a “sustained diet of negative media coverage of doctors”, the review says.