Doctors banned abroad found working in UK – with no record on their GMC licence

Credit: rajurahman85

By Jane Kirby, PA

Health secretary Wes Streeting has ordered an urgent review of vetting procedures for foreign-qualified doctors after 22 medics banned from practising overseas were cleared to treat NHS patients.

Mr Streeting said the findings of an investigation by The Times were “horrific” and “a serious failure in our medical regulatory systems that I will not tolerate”.

The Times reported that 22 doctors have been subject to discipline or restrictions overseas but there is no record of that on their GMC licences in the UK.

Cases include doctors suspended abroad over their care of patients and one medic who lost his medical licence overseas for having sex with a patient.

Another doctor was found to have sexually harassed colleagues, one was evading stalking charges and another was convicted of assault.

The newspaper highlighted how some of this information is public record and easily found on the internet.

Using a computer programme, global reporters compared the names and biographies of doctors who had been disciplined abroad with the names of doctors registered with the GMC, and where there was a match verified this was the same person.