While doctors up and down the country are increasingly having to treat patients with recession-related mental health problems, the Medical Council’s Health Sub-Committee is supporting a number of medical practitioners who themselves are suffering from such conditions. Chairman of the Council’s Health Sub-Committee Dr Richard Brennan told Irish Medical Times that the group is currently supporting 33 medical practitioners — 0.2 per cent of all doctors registered. Of these 33 practitioners, 19 are receiving treatment for alcohol and drug addictions, while 14 are suffering from other psychiatric conditions.

The primary role of the Health Sub-Committee is to monitor and support medical practitioners to maintain their registration during illness or medical disability. The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 defines medical disability as “a physical or mental disability of the practitioner, including addiction to alcohol or drugs, which may impair the practitioner’s ability to practise medicine or a particular aspect thereof”.