Wexford GP found guilty of professional misconduct over Covid social media posts

A Wexford GP has been found guilty of professional misconduct over a series of social media posts made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Billy Ralph, who runs his own practice at The Ballagh Health Centre near Enniscorthy, was facing six allegations relating to 34 posts on X, formerly Twitter, made between October 2020 and June 2022.

The Medical Council’s fitness-to-practise committee found four of the six allegations of professional misconduct proven.

The committee said some of Dr Ralph’s posts were “entirely inappropriate, dangerous and undermining” of the National Public Health Emergency Team and public health guidance.

The allegations found proven related to criticism of NPHET, Covid-19 vaccination — including vaccination of children — and the promotion of ivermectin as a treatment for Covid-19.

The committee also found that some of the posts were not factually accurate, evidence-based or appropriate and said language used about NPHET and the HSE was “intemperate and abusive”.

Dr Ralph had denied that his posts amounted to professional misconduct arguing that the case concerned the expression of views during a period of unprecedented uncertainty in medicine. He accepted that some of his language had been strong and imperfectly expressed.

The committee did not find an allegation relating to criticism of face masks proven as those posts were re-tweets. While an allegation concerning his opposition to lockdowns was proven it was not considered to amount to professional misconduct.

During the hearing, Dr Ralph’s wife, Paula Byrne, said it was difficult and heartbreaking to see 32 years of his medical service reduced to a number of social media posts. She said he had genuinely believed he had a duty to speak out.

Counsel for the Medical Council has recommended that the minimum sanction should be a censure with possible conditions requiring Dr Ralph to undertake courses on social media and the importance of following national health guidelines.

The committee will now prepare a report and recommendation on sanction for the Medical Council.