A total of 400 complaints about doctors were made to the Medical Council last year, according to its latest annual report.

This compares to 423 complaints made to the Council in 2012.

Council statistics also show a major increase in doctors who have mental health issues being supported by its Health Committee.

The report, which will be officially published later this week, says 2.8% of doctors on the medical register were the subject of complaints to the Council last year.

A total of 503 doctors were the subject of complaints in 2013, compared to 494 in 2012.

The most common reasons for patients to make complaints to the Council against doctors included poor communication, issues with clinical investigations and examinations, not treating patients with dignity, follow-up care issues, diagnosis issues, prescribing issues, professional skills issues and poor record-keeping.

The most common single category of complaint last year was the diagnosis category, which accounted for 123 categories attached to complaints. The Council can attach more than one category to a single complaint, eg., poor communication plus a diagnosis issue.

Of the complaints against doctors processed by the Council last year, 32 resulted in a fitness to practise inquiry being held, while no further action was taken in 346 cases, and 12 complaints were withdrawn. Mediation was offered in nine cases.

A total of 39 fitness to practise inquiries were held by the Council last year, with 26 pending at the end of the year.

Twenty five of these inquiries were held in public.

A total of 14 doctors were found guilty of professional misconduct last year, compared to 12 the previous year, while 10 were guilty of poor professional performance in 2013, the same number as the previous year.

Four doctors were struck off the register last year on foot of fitness to practise inquiries, while 11 had conditions attached to their future registration, and 18 were advised, admonished or censured following inquiries. One doctor was suspended from the register.

A total of 45 doctors attended the Council's Health Committee last year, compared to 39 the previous year.

The main reason for referral to this committee last year, amounting to 24 cases, was mental disability, double the number reported under this category in 2012. Seven doctors were dealt with by the Health Committee for alcohol and drug problems in 2013, while eight had drug problems only.

The Health Committee supports doctors referred to the Council who have health issues which might be affecting their ability to practise, as well as those who have provided undertakings to the Fitness to Practise Committee, following inquiries, to undergo medical treatment.