Where to complain about medical professionals

Information

The following are statutory regulatory bodies for the medical professions in Ireland. In general, they promote high standards of professional conduct, maintain a register of qualified personnel and investigate allegations of professional misconduct or fitness to practice. They usually have a Fitness to Practise or similar committee. This committee deals with complaints into the conduct of a registered practitioner. The complaint may be on the grounds of professional misconduct and/or fitness to engage in the practice by reason of physical or mental disability.

The Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 provided for a system of statutory registration for twelve health and social care professions. They are:

• Clinical biochemists
• Dieticians,
• Medical scientists
• Occupational therapists,
• Orthoptists
• Physiotherapists
• Podiatrists
• Psychologists
• Radiographers
• Social care workers
• Social workers
• speech and language therapists

The Health and Social Care Professionals Council was established in March 2007. It is in the process of establishing a Registration Board for each of these professions, as well as a committee structure to deal with complaints made against registered professionals. You can read more about the registration of social and health care professionals here.

Alternative healthcare practitioners

Complementary and alternative medical practitioners are professionals who use acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, therapeutic massage, oriental medicine or other methods to promote well being or treat health conditions. There are no statutory registration requirements for the practitioners of complementary medicine in Ireland currently. You can read more about the registration of Alternative Health practitioners here.

Here we give the regulatory bodies for the major medical professions. You can read more about other health service agencies here

Doctors

The Medical Council protects the interests of the public when dealing with registered medical practitioners. Information on making a complaint is available on the Council's website

Dentists

The Dental Council is a statutory body which provides for the registration of dentists. The Council can inquire into a registered dentist’s fitness to practise dentistry.

Nurses

An Bord Altranais (The Nursing Board) is the statutory body which provides for the registration, control and education of nurses and for other matters relating to nurses and the practice of nursing.

Opticians and ophthalmic opticians

Bord na Radharcmhastóirí (Opticians Board) train and register optometrists and control the practice of optics. It is planned to integrate the Board into the Health and Social Care Professionals Council in 2011.

Pharmacists

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is a statutory body, established under the Pharmacy Act 2007 as the pharmacy regulator. It is charged with regulating the practice and profession of pharmacy. All pharmacies must be registered with it by January 2009. The Society's goal is the promotion of patient safety and public health, and its primary responsibility is to the general public.

Vets

The Veterinary Council of Ireland was established in January 2006 under the Veterinary Practice Act 2005. The main function of the Council is to regulate the practice of veterinary medicine and nursing in the public interest. Information on making a complaint is available on the Council's website.