Doctors remain the most trusted profession in Ireland, however most people would feel differently about their own doctor's professionalism if they posted personal information on social media, such as Facebook, a new survey has found.

According to the findings, 91% of people trust their doctor to tell the truth. The second most trusted profession is teachers (82%), followed by judges (73%).

Perhaps not surprisingly, TDs are the least trusted profession, with just 12% of people believing the words that come out of their mouths. Journalists also scored low (30%), as did business leaders (33%).

The survey found that 88% of people have never had an experience with a doctor that required a complaint to be made, while 91% are satisfied with the doctor they attend most often.

However, it also found that 76% of people agreed that if their doctor posted personal information on social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, it would make them question that doctor's professionalism.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of respondents - 96% - believe that doctors should never share patient information on social media.

The survey of 1,000 adults was carried out on behalf of the Medical Council, the regulatory body for doctors in Ireland. It has recently published a new draft Guide for Professional Conduct and Ethics for doctors, which among other things, provides additional guidance on social media use by doctors.

"It is immensely important that the Medical Council is alive to the concerns of patients in relation to social media and confidentiality, but we also have to be cognisant of the fact that doctors can gain professionally as well as personally from using social media platforms. With our new guide to conduct and ethics, we have tried to strike a balance by encouraging appropriate social media use by doctors," noted Medical Council vice-president, Dr Audrey Dillon.

The Medical Council is calling for feedback from members of the public and doctors on the draft guide. The deadline for this feedback is August 7. To find out more about submitting feedback, click here