Medical Council highlights importance of resolving communication-related concerns locally while maintaining focus on patient safety

Medical Council received 409 complaints about doctors in 2025, with communication-related concerns the largest complaint category, representing 133 (33%) of complaints received.

Friday, 2nd October 2026: The Medical Council has today highlighted the importance of resolving communication-related concerns about doctors locally where appropriate, while ensuring that patient safety concerns remain the focus of its fitness to practise processes.

The message comes as the Council publishes its Annual Report and Financial Statements 2025, outlining progress across its core functions including registration, professional standards, education and training, professional competence, and investigation of complaints. 

Communication-related issues were the most common concern raised about doctors with the Medical Council in 2025. While recognising the significant impact communication issues can have on patients and families, the Medical Council advises that concerns of this nature can often be addressed more quickly and effectively by talking to the doctor directly, writing to a GP practice, or via patient advocacy processes within hospitals, healthcare providers and employers.

Legislative reforms introduced in 2025 are supporting a more proportionate, targeted and risk-based approach to the Medical Council’s management of complaints. Since May 2025, the Medical Council's Intake Team has assessed concerns received from members of the public and directed individuals to the appropriate pathway. As part of this approach, 156 concerns have been assessed and closed, with individuals provided with information, guidance and signposting to alternative avenues where appropriate. This enables concerns that do not raise patient safety issues to be addressed more quickly, while ensuring regulatory resources remain focused on matters that may require regulatory intervention. The approach also helps to avoid unnecessary regulatory processes for doctors where concerns can be appropriately addressed through local mechanisms.

CEO of the Medical Council, Dr Maria O’Kane, said: 

“Our Annual Report 2025 reflects a year of significant progress across the organisation and demonstrates how we continued to modernise and strengthen our regulatory processes in 2025, including complaints handling and fitness to practise processes, registration, and education and training. This progress helps us to deliver on our commitment to effective, risk-based regulation in the public interest.

“The legislative reforms introduced in 2025 have enabled a more proportionate approach to handling complaints and concerns. This means concerns can be directed to the most appropriate pathway, while allowing the Council to focus its efforts on matters that require regulatory intervention.

“We recognise that being the subject of a complaint can be a stressful experience for doctors. It is important that doctors are treated fairly and in accordance with fair procedures throughout the process. We encourage doctors to engage with the supports available to them, such as the Medical Council’s Liaison Service, which can signpost to additional resources and provide information. 

“We encourage doctors, employers and healthcare providers to raise concerns for any matter where patient safety may be at risk. Safe care is built on open communication and strong partnership, and we welcome ongoing efforts from our stakeholders to strengthen engagement.” 

The report records continued growth in the Register of Medical Practitioners. 31,897 doctors were invited to retain their place on the Medical Council Register in 2025. During annual retention, 29,428 doctors retained their registration, of whom 22,257 reported being clinically active, i.e., practising medicine in Ireland for all or part of the year.

During 2025, the Medical Council continued its oversight of medical education, training and professional competence, including programme accreditation, anatomy inspections and monitoring activities across undergraduate, intern and postgraduate training. A revised Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework came into effect in May 2025, and a new accreditation framework for continuing professional development providers was fully implemented during the year. 

The Fitness to Practise function completed 71 cases in 2025, an increase of 65% on 2024. Of these, 32 resulted in findings, 23 were resolved through undertakings, 9 resulted in no findings and 7 concluded through withdrawals under the relevant statutory provisions. 

President of the Medical Council, Prof Deirdre J Murphy, said: 

“Public confidence in the medical profession depends on patients receiving safe, professional and respectful care, and on doctors being supported to maintain the high standards expected of them throughout their careers. 

“The doctor-patient relationship is founded on trust, and trust begins with communication. Clear, compassionate conversations help patients feel heard and understood and form the basis of shared decision-making. The work of the Medical Council plays an important role in maintaining trust, through setting standards, overseeing medical education and training, supporting doctors' ongoing professional development and taking action where serious concerns arise. 

“I am grateful to doctors, Council members and staff for their continued commitment to professional standards and to ensuring that patients and the public can have confidence in the quality and safety of medical care provided in Ireland."

Key stats from the Annual Report 2025: 

• 31,897 doctors were invited to retain their place on the Medical Council Register in 2025
• Of these, 29,428 doctors completed the Annual Retention process and retained their place on the register
• 22,257 doctors reported practising medicine in Ireland for all or part of the year
• 47.6% of clinically active doctors were female
• 52.4% of clinically active doctors were male
• Registration processing times were reduced by 70% during 2025, helping qualified doctors join the Irish health system more quickly
• 409 complaints were received in 2025
• 156 concerns were closed by the Intake Team, with guidance provided and individuals directed to other organisations where appropriate
• 332 complaints came from members of the public, 45 originated from the Medical Council, and 11 came from or on behalf of a healthcare institution
• The Preliminary Proceedings Committee made decisions in respect of 387 doctors, with 301 cases resulting in no further action following investigation and 86 cases referred onwards to Fitness to Practise
• 71 Fitness to Practise cases were completed, an increase of 65% on 2024
• 12 programme accreditations and inspections and 4 anatomy inspections were completed
• 86 qualitative and 96 quantitative submissions were reviewed across undergraduate, intern, and postgraduate training programmes

 To find out more about the Medical Council and to read the Annual Report and Financial Statements 2025, visit www.medicalcouncil.ie.