A Medical Council inquiry has opened and adjourned into allegations that a Galway GP failed to provide appropriate care to a patient who was suffering from a major cardiac, or respiratory condition.
It is alleged that Dr Denis Higgins, based at Galway Primary Care, did not arrange for the patient's immediate referral to an emergency department around 22 February 2015.
It is also alleged that he failed to carry out or arrange for an electrocardiogram (ECG) on the patient.
The allegations are of professional misconduct and poor professional performance.
Today's inquiry heard that Dr Higgins was not legally represented or in attendance.
Barrister for the Council, Eoghan O'Sullivan, said that just after 9am today, an email had been received from Dr Higgins, saying he was ill with diverticulitis and medically unfit to attend.
Mr O'Sullivan said that no medical certificate had been attached to today's email. He told the inquiry that it had been adjourned on previous occasions at the request of Dr Higgins.
He said Dr Higgins had previously indicated that the dates of 8 and 9 February were fine with him.
After considering the matter today, the Fitness to Practise Committee has asked the council to contact Dr Higgins to request that he supply an independent medical certificate within 24 hours.
The committee said the certificate must be from a doctor who is not a past, or present member, of Dr Higgins' practice.
As a result, the inquiry has now been adjourned until 9.30am tomorrow.
In the event that no independent medical certificate is provided, or no good reason is advanced for a failure to provide it, the committee said that the inquiry will proceed tomorrow.
It is scheduled to last two days.
