A mother has said she “felt dismissed” after a Co Kildare GP told her she was “an overprotective mum” who was “abusing” an out-of-hours doctor service.
Dr Aoife Kavanagh (above) is facing several allegations of professional misconduct and/or poor professional performance while working at the K Doc out-of-hours medical service.
It is alleged that in December 2009, she addressed the mother of a patient in a confrontational and unprofessional manner.
In evidence, the mother said two days after her daughter had attended the K Doc service, she phoned at 6am to say her high temperature, diarrhoea and listlessness had not gone.
She said Dr Kavanagh examined the child and said there wasn’t anything wrong with her.
“She said, why don’t you go to your own doctor?” the witness said. “She said I was abusing the K Doc system. I felt dismissed.”
Later that day, the mother brought the child to hospital in Portlaoise where an antibiotic was given. She subsequently wrote a letter of complaint to the K Doc service.
The Medical Council hearing continues next month.
