Irish Doctor Admits to Inappropriate Breast Examination of Defence Forces Officer

A general practitioner (GP) in Ireland has admitted to poor professional performance following an incident where he inappropriately exposed a female officer’s breast during a medical examination. The incident occurred at the Curragh Camp in County Kildare on September 19, 2022, while the doctor was working as a locum.

Details of the Incident

The Medical Council’s fitness-to-practise hearing was informed that Dr. C, who is originally from Sudan, exposed the left breast of the officer, referred to as Patient A, during a chest examination. Counsel for the Medical Council, Neasa Bird BL, stated that the doctor’s actions were inappropriate and not clinically justified, emphasizing that the exposure occurred without the patient’s consent or prior notification. Irish Times

Patient A, who was a captain in the Defence Forces at the time of the examination and is now a commandant, had initially presented with symptoms of wheezing, coughing and general unwellness. She had partially lifted her bra during the examination, but Dr. C admitted to pulling down one side of her bra, fully exposing her breast for approximately ten seconds. Irish Times

The patient reportedly felt “very uncomfortable” but did not immediately express concern, being both unwell and surprised by the doctor’s actions. Irish Times

Additional Allegations

Beyond the inappropriate exposure, further allegations were made against Dr. C. These included a failure to adequately document the findings of the physical examination, and the prescription of ceftriaxone, an intramuscular antibiotic, which was deemed clinically inappropriate and contrary to Irish antimicrobial prescribing practices. Laois Nationalist

Dr. C also acknowledged incorrectly entering “cefixime” into Patient A’s medication records when he had intended to prescribe a different drug. Irish Mirror

Medical Council Findings and Doctor’s Explanation

The Medical Council accepted that the four allegations constituted a single incident of poor professional performance. Irish Mirror

Dr. C stated that he had asked Patient A if she wanted a chaperone during the examination, and she declined. He claimed he considered prescribing an intramuscular antibiotic because previous oral antibiotics had not improved her condition. He also asserted that a nurse had confirmed the appropriateness of the injection and its administration in a pharmacy – a claim disputed by the nurse. Irish Times

Dr. C indicated he had arrived in Ireland in July 2022 and had not completed an induction course on prescribing practices in the country, but had experience with antibiotics from his previous work in Saudi Arabia. Irish Times

Expert Testimony

Professor Tom Fahey, an expert witness, testified that the breast exposure was unnecessary for the chest examination. He also criticized the doctor’s failure to record his findings and highlighted that current HSE guidelines do not recommend intramuscular injections for community-acquired pneumonia. Irish Times

Hearing Adjournment

The chairperson of the inquiry, Marie Culliton, adjourned the hearing until Monday, March 9, 2026, to issue findings and consider potential sanctions. Laois Nationalist