Irish ombudsman chides doctors on poor record keeping

The Irish ombudsman has given doctors a stinging rebuke over poor record keeping and lack of cooperation over patients' complaints.

Kevin Murphy, testifying recently before a legislative committee, singled out dismissive doctors and missing notes in his tackling of complaints. He said he found that doctors and consultants “do not engage wholeheartedly with patients' complaints” and that medical record keeping was sometimes “atrocious,” with notes not written up until his office began an investigation.

“Complaint-handling is invariably seen by medical staff as very …