Latest news with #MPTS
BBC News
06-08-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Liverpool trainee GP suspended for withholding drugs convictions
A trainee GP who failed to declare two drugs convictions when applying to work in the UK has been suspended following a disciplinary Sean Welsh, who began GP training in Liverpool in February, did not reveal that he had been given a suspended jail sentence in Malta for receiving ketamine and cannabis in the post. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) upheld a misconduct allegation brought by the General Medical Council (GMC), the body which regulates ruled Dr Welsh's fitness to practise was "currently impaired" by both his conviction and his failure to disclose it. The hearing was told Dr Welsh qualified in 2020 from the University of Malta and completed foundation training with Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Trust in years earlier he had been given a suspended jail term by a Maltese a statement to the hearing the young doctor said he was persuaded by his cousin's friend to receive some drugs which were to be posted to his Maltese address ahead of a music festival. Dr Welsh was not going to the event and did not use the drugs. After the first package arrived - which contained cannabis - he was asked to receive a package, containing ketamine, was intercepted by Maltese said he had agreed to receiving the drugs "against his better judgment and with some reluctance". Rejection fear Dr Welsh did not mention his convictions when in 2019 he applied to join the UK Foundation Programme, on which medical graduates from overseas enrol to practise in the did he reveal the convictions when he applied for GMC registration a year oral evidence at the hearing, he acknowledged that his disclosure failure was serious. stating it was fear of rejection that led him to consciously and dishonestly withold Tribunal accepted "he was relatively young at the time, and that his actions, while deliberate, were not motivated by malice but by anxiety about the consequences".It noted that many of his colleagues have "described him as an excellent clinician and expressed confidence in his professional integrity".
Daily Record
02-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
GP who wrote prescriptions for dead patients could be struck off as hearing set
John Henderson is due to go before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) after he faked prescriptions to administer powerful painkillers to himself. A disgraced doctor who wrote prescriptions in the names of dead patients for self-medication is due to face a professional tribunal that could see him struck off. John Henderson will go before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) on Monday, August 4, to determine whether his registration as a GP should be suspended or revoked following his conviction for obtaining prescription drugs by fraud. The 40-year-old was sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court last year after admitting to writing out prescriptions for powerful painkillers in his own name — and in the names of former patients, some of whom were deceased. Between July 2021 and February 2022, Henderson either collected the drugs himself from pharmacies or instructed NHS staff to pick them up and bring them to him. The shocking abuse of trust happened across Glasgow and Lanarkshire, involving multiple pharmacies and prescription forms. Henderson, who held a senior position with NHS Lanarkshire, claimed he suffered pain from a gall bladder condition and stress from working long night shifts during the pandemic. He escaped a prison sentence and was handed a community payback order including nine months of supervision and 100 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months. He was also ordered to repay £883.02 in compensation. Now, the MPTS will assess whether Dr Henderson's fitness to practise has been impaired by his criminal behaviour, which involved serious breaches. According to pre-hearing documents, the tribunal will hear evidence that Dr Henderson 'presented the prescriptions to pharmacies, or instructed NHS staff to present them on his behalf and return the medication to him, thus obtaining the medication by fraud.' It was previously heard how NHS counter fraud became concerned about the out of hours GP who was suspected of prescribing drugs for himself. Investigations then uncovered a pattern of prescriptions being made for a strong painkiller called Oxycodone. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Investigators linked the paperwork to Henderson and NHS delivery drivers later said they had been asked to make unusual collections from pharmacies on his instruction. In June 2022 a search of his home found needles and drugs and he was arrested. Henderson's lawyer said in court he was deeply sorry for his actions which had been driven by stress and medical issues. The father-of-two has since been living in England with his family. NHS Lanarkshire previously confirmed that immediate steps were taken when the allegations first came to light, including reporting the matter to police and working with relevant medical authorities. If the tribunal finds his actions amount to serious professional misconduct, Dr Henderson could be suspended or struck off the medical register entirely. The MPTS hearing is expected to take place from August 4 to 12.
NDTV
09-07-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Indian-Origin Doctor In UK Suspended For Forcing Mother To Have Baby Using Forceps
An Indian-origin consultant gynaecologist in the UK has been suspended after she was found guilty of serious professional misconduct. The 62-year-old allegedly pressured a first-time mother into a forceps delivery against her will. Premila Thampi, from Mitcham in South London, allegedly bullied the patient - who requested a caesarean section - into accepting forceps-assisted delivery at Milton Keynes University Hospital in October 2016. The woman, 41 weeks pregnant and suffering from a neuromuscular condition, later reportedly said she was feeling traumatised by the experience and said the forceps caused injuries to her baby's head and face. During the encounter, Ms Thampi allegedly made it clear that she was the senior, implying she could have left the delivery to a junior doctor instead of staying beyond her shift. Testimony at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in Manchester said that she ignored the patient's repeated objections to forceps, saying, "You are putting your own baby at risk." "You need to let me do this, as I don't know what is going to happen to your baby." The patient eventually gave in to the forceps delivery but reportedly shouted at the doctor, "I hate you, you haven't listened," as the instrument was used. "She just marched into the room to ask me if I was ready for an instrumental delivery and then marched back out again. Dr Thampi didn't explain what an instrumental delivery would involve, or what the instruments to be used were... I verbalised to Dr Thampi that I was against the use of forceps," the woman told a British tabloid. The MPTS ruled that Ms Thampi committed serious professional misconduct, citing her failure to obtain informed consent, her pressure on the patient, and her inappropriate communication. It suspended her from medical practice for three weeks. Tribunal chair Tehniat Watson called the misconduct serious, citing lack of consent, patient pressure, and poor communication, and said the "action is needed to mark the seriousness to uphold the wider public interest." In her defence, Ms Thampi argued the patient raised objections to the use of forceps only when it was already too late, from a clinical standpoint, to safely proceed with a caesarean section.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Addenbrooke's surgeon struck off for indecent images of children
A vascular surgeon has been struck off the medical register after being convicted of having 326 indecent images of Woda was working as a surgeon at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, when he was charged with making indecent photographs and moving images of a 32-year-old, who lives in Trumpington in the city, pleaded guilty to the three offences and was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court to five months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.A hearing of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) took place last week and was told Woda "fully accepted responsibility for his actions". Police seized two phones and a laptop from the doctor and the MPTS report stated that 50 of the images were Category A, the most was charged on 30 August 2024 and his contract at Addenbrooke's Hospital was terminated with immediate effect. Woda said he drunk 300ml of whiskey at the time of the offence and "was not fully aware of what he was doing".He had "unintentionally acquired a folder containing indecent images" that he "immediately deleted upon recognition".Digital forensic analysis examination established that Woda "actively searched for terms directly associated with indecent images of children". 'Expected standards' The report said: "The tribunal was satisfied that the content of the indecent images, the sexually motivated aspect of his conduct and the use of concealment measures, amounted to an extremely serious breach of professional standards."It therefore concluded that Woda's actions fell far below the expected standards and amounted to serious misconduct."General Medical Council representative Colette Renton said: "The public will be appalled to hear that the doctor, holding the esteemed position as a vascular surgeon, had committed such offences."She submitted that the doctor's actions would have a "serious negative impact" on the reputation of the profession."The public should trust that their clinician is not involved in illegal activity, particularly which pertains to a sexual interest in those who are vulnerable such as children," the report sentence - which was handed down on 9 January - also saw him having to pay a fine of £1,000 and was put on the sex offenders register for 10 also included a rehabilitation activity requirement, the forfeiture and destruction of a phone and laptop and a sexual harm prevention order running until 9 January 2035. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Retired Birmingham GP suspended after Ledbury animal rights demo
A retired GP who faced court action after she took part in climate change and animal rights protests has had a fresh suspension of her medical Sarah Benn, who worked in Birmingham, was first suspended at a tribunal in 2024 after she took part in a demonstration at a Warwickshire oil terminal, in an animal rights protest in Ledbury in 2023, she was referred for a second hearing before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) this second tribunal ruled her fitness to practise was impaired and she had shown a "sustained pattern of unlawful behaviour". 'A kinder place' The first tribunal suspended her for five months and a second tribunal on Wednesday suspended her for 12 General Medical Council told the tribunal Dr Benn lacked insight, minimised the seriousness of her misconduct and used her position to bring additional attention to climate Dr Benn said the case centred on the expectation that a doctor should uphold the law, and she said the exceptional circumstances of the climate emergency had compelled her to break the said her criminal act had posed no risk to others, did not affect her ability to practise and was not dishonest, aggressive or deceitful, but was "motivated by conscience and a desire to make the world a kinder place". Papers documented how Dr Benn spent 32 years in clinical practice and retired in 2022 when she surrendered her licence, but remained on the medical Benn took part in climate change peaceful protests in 2022 at Kingsbury Oil Terminal in she was found in breach of the injunction and contempt of court, she was sent to prison for 32 days. In February 2023, Dr Benn was arrested for criminal damage after she chalk-sprayed gates and a wall at Sequani Ltd in Ledbury, a company involved in animal papers said Dr Benn pleaded guilty to criminal damage before magistrates in September 2023, but appealed against the sentence at Worcester Crown April 2024, the crown court allowed the appeal and sentenced Dr Benn to a community order for 12 months with a requirement not to enter Sequani Ltd or go near it, and placed restrictions on her access to spray paint. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
