High Court rejects appeal of former Mayo hospital surgical staff member

A FORMER surgical senior house officer, who worked at Mayo University Hospital for a period of time between 2012 and 2014, has been struck off the medical register.

According to a report by RTÉ News, the High Court has dismissed an appeal by Dr. Omar Hassan, against the decision of the Medical Council, that he be struck off the medical register for professional misconduct and poor professional performance.

Dr. Hassan will no longer be entitled to practise medicine in Ireland, where he had previously worked as a surgical senior house officer.

After the verdict, Dr. Hassan said it was 'meaningless.'

In his decision today, High Court President Mr. Justice Peter Kelly said the Medical Council's Fitness to Practise Committee went about its task with a great deal of care and attention, in respect of each allegation and had rejected some and upheld others.

Mr. Justice Kelly said he found it disturbing that someone with such substandard skills, could find himself on the medical register and find himself employed at three different hospitals.

He said Dr. Hassan had failed to show an error by the fitness to practise committee and the Medical Council in its findings.

The committee had heard 30 witnesses, over 11 days and found Dr. Hassan to be an unsafe practitioner.

Mr. Justice Kelly also found that the committee had given Dr Hassan considerable leeway when he was not legally represented.

Dr. Hassan did provide a written submission but did not attend the Medical Council hearing on 23 March, which decided he should be struck off.

Mr. Justice Kelly dismissed the High Court appeal and confirmed the decision that he be struck off.

Outside the court, Dr. Hassan said the decision was unfair and that he would take things into his own hands.

The Medical Council inquiry arose from complaints made concerning Dr. Hassan's care of patients and his interactions with colleagues, at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Mayo University Hospital and Galway University Hospital during various periods from 2012 to 2014.

During the inquiry it emerged that he had mistaken an X-ray of an ankle for that of an elbow.