A doctor at the centre of a Medical Council inquiry was described in internal HSE correspondence as being radicalised and a supporter of al-Qa'ida.

A fitness-to-practice inquiry into Pakistani-born Dr Saqib Ahmed has heard that the letter written in April 2014 stated that Dr Ahmed's colleagues were "concerned about how he was becoming increasingly insular".

It added "he became radicalised and even spoke of his support for al-Qa'ida".

Details of the letter written by the director of human resources at University Hospital Limerick were read out to the inquiry by Dr Ahmed, who is representing himself before the inquiry by telephone from the US.

He is contesting eight allegations of professional misconduct and/or poor professional performance arising out of his time as a registrar or junior doctor at the oncology clinic of the hospital between July and October 2012.

These include that he put patient safety at risk by failing to attend a ward round, that he left the clinic without permission, that he failed to order chemotherapy treatment for a patient despite being requested and reminded to by the hospital's chief oncology pharmacist, and that he failed to order a series of medical tests for a seriously ill patient when instructed to do so by a senior colleague.

Dr Ahmed also faces a number of allegations of responding in an aggressive manner to at least three of his senior colleagues when they sought to discuss his performance.

Contempt

The inquiry has heard that an internal HSE investigation, carried out after Dr Ahmed was placed on administrative leave in November 2012, found he was unable to accept guidance and had contempt for even his most senior colleagues.

The review found him to be "arrogant, dismissive and uncaring".

It said Dr Ahmed's response to criticism had been to make numerous complaints about staff which the authors felt pointed to "an inability to accept consequences for his actions".

The medical director for cancer services at the hospital, Professor Rajnish Gupta, told the inquiry that he felt Dr Ahmed, who as a junior doctor was still in a training position, would go on to be a danger to patients, to himself and to colleagues if he was allowed to continue. He said a number of colleagues had come to him as the senior consultant with complaints about Dr Ahmed's behaviour.

Prof Gupta said that, following an incident on November 6, 2012, when Dr Ahmed is alleged to have failed to carry out an assessment and take blood and urine tests from a seriously ill patient as instructed by a senior colleague Dr O'Keeffe, he was forced to send Dr Ahmed home. He did this because Dr Ahmed began arguing with Dr O'Keeffe.

"Voices were beginning to be raised, it was beginning to be an argument and I could see Dr Ahmed becoming louder...so I suggested that...Dr Ahmed should go home," he said.

Irish Independent