Patient Safety

Patient safety is at the heart of the Medical Council's role. Our work aims to improve standards of patient safety and protect the public in Ireland by promoting and better ensuring high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among doctors. This section provides guidance for patients on how to check the register, make a complaint and prepare for medical appointments, along with valuable information on how to work in partnership with your doctor and the Patient Advocacy Services available to support patients.

Check the Register

By law all doctors must register with the Medical Council in order to practise medicine in Ireland. Patients can check our website to verify that a doctor is registered to practise medicine in Ireland, and can also check a doctor's qualifications through this facility: Check the Register.

Making a Complaint

As a regulator, the Medical Council’s primary focus is to determine whether a doctor poses a risk to patients. By maintaining this focus, we uphold our commitment to fostering a healthcare environment that prioritises patient safety and trust in doctors. If you have an issue or concern about your doctor, the Medical Council has a dedicated resource section on our website explaining what you can do as a patient. Please visit our webpage for more information; Information on Complaints.

The Medical Council also provides a Glossary of Terms that are frequently used at Fitness to Practise Inquiries which patients may find helpful.

Patient Support Services

A Patient Advocate is somebody who can act on the patient's or the patient's family's behalf when dealing with the hospital or healthcare service.  A patient advocate can represent the views of those seeking information or making complaints when required. For more information on the list of Patient Support Groups and Services, please visit our webpage: Patient Advocacy Services.

Useful Publications & Policies

Telemedicine: A Guide for the Public

Telemedicine involves accessing a doctor remotely, through a phone or laptop for example, without attending the doctor in-person. The Medical Council has prepared some guidance explaining what you can expect when accessing a doctor through telemedicine. Find out more over in the Telemedicine: A Guide for the Public section.

Unregistered Practice Policy

The Unregistered Practice Policy outlines the Medical Council’s commitment to ensuring that only registered medical practitioners engage in the practice of medicine. It sets out the Council’s approach to managing instances of unregistered medical practice and clarifies doctors’ responsibilities to maintain their registration, including compliance with annual retention and professional indemnity requirements. The policy also explains the steps that may be taken where unregistered practice is identified. The Council reminds patients that when seeing a doctor visiting from oversees for a consultation, they should be satisfied that the doctor is registered to practise in Ireland. You can read the Medical Council's Unregistered Practice Policy here.

Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics

The Medical Council protects the public by promoting and ensuring high standards of education, training, conduct and competence among doctors who are registered with the Medical Council. As part of its role, and to support doctors to meet these high standards, the Medical Council produces guidance on matters related to professional conduct, ethics and aspects of practice. The Guide is also useful for patients as it clarifies the standards of care they should expect from their doctor. Read more in our Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics (9th Edition) 2024.