Kenworthy’s Chambers’ Patrick Cassidy defended a Doctor at the medical practitioner’s tribunal, where the General Medical Council (GMC) alleged a series of fundamental breaches of good medical practice.

Instructed by BMA Solicitors, London, Professional Discipline Barrister Patrick Cassidy obtained a judgement that determined his client, Doctor PK was not impaired. This is a positive outcome for the client who is able to continue working as a result. Had the GMC proved their allegation that the Doctor was impaired it would have resulted in a restriction on his licence and a suspension at the very least.

At the outset of the proceedings in the medical practitioner’s tribunal, PK admitted the allegations and described his profound regret. PK admitted breaches of patient trust and confidentiality by sending patient X-rays, photographs, and other documents to non-medical third parties over the course of five months. 

PK admitted carrying out these actions without patient consent or family knowledge. Furthermore, it was admitted that the patient, who sustained the injuries that he shared photographs of with non-medical third parties, was in a vulnerable condition. There was no clinical need for this information to be shared, so when allegations were forwarded to the GMC, the GMC decided to allege a series of fundamental breaches of good medical practice.

PK was regarded as a caring, industrious doctor with 10 years post-qualification experience. He worked in the NHS as a Senior Fellow in critical care when the GMC brought allegations against him. 

The tribunal panel found PK’s remorse to be genuine. He apologised early in the proceedings, undertook training courses, and volunteered to lead a lecture on patient confidentiality and trust in front of his peers in critical care. Here he described his failings in detail in comparison to the expected standards of good medical practice.

In their extensive judgement, the tribunal panel determined that Doctor PK was not impaired, despite the admitted breaches of patient trust and confidentiality.

Clayton Williams, Regulatory Consultant Solicitor at BMA Law, said “It was a great result for the Doctor who can carry on his important work in critical care without any impediment on his licence to practise. He can now put his admitted errors behind him.”

Patrick Cassidy is recognised as a leading practitioner by the legal 500 2025 in Professional Discipline and has decades of experience defending serious Crime, Inquests and Professional Discipline. If you have a Professional Discipline or Regulatory case you need advice or advocacy for, call our Clerks Paul Mander and Greg Highton on 0161 832 4036, email Paul@kenworthys.co.uk, Greg@kenworthys.co.uk or fill out our contact form.