Ten doctors face being struck off for trading ‘offensive’ messages and pictures
TEN doctors face being struck off for trading “offensive” messages and pics on a secret Whats-App group.
Cops uncovered two years’ worth of exchanges after an unrelated police investigation which cleared the medics.
But the case was referred to Health Education England and members of the group now face General Medical Council disciplinary hearings.
The doctors — all thought to be men — were named after losing a court bid to keep their identities secret.
They include Dr R Fijten, Dr Y Craichen, Dr A Patel, Dr P Cameron and Dr J James. Others identified were Dr G Jayasinghe, Dr A Sarnowski, Dr D Walker, Dr R Smith and Dr A Tappouni.
The content of the messages, which has not yet been disclosed, is expected to emerge as the case progress.
A number of the accused are understood to have qualified only in the past five years and to work in South London or the Home Counties, some of them as GPs.
All ten admitted sending messages and being part of the WhatsApp group between February 2014 and October 2016.
‘IMPAIRED’
Four also admitted failing to report the messages and two said they had failed to act “with integrity” and risked patients’ trust.
But all ten denied their fitness to practice had been “impaired” by misconduct.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal, which has the power to suspend doctors or strike their names from the medical register, will now decide.
Most read in News
Mrs Justice Eady threw out the medics’ bid for anonymity during a hearing at London’s High Court.
She ruled the principles of open justice meant names of parties to an action should be made public.
The judge also found private communications were not exempt from forming part of disciplinary proceedings.