Concerns about doctor first raised in Jersey continue a decade on

Thursday 30 May 2024

A doctor whose fitness to practice was first questioned while he was working in Jersey over a decade ago has had restrictions limiting his ability to work extended again.

Dr Gamal Mohamed first had restrictions placed on him by the General Medical Council in 2014 by a medical practitioners’ tribunal.

He subsequently left the island and moved to the UK.

Pictured: Dr Mohamed took up a post as a staff grade doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Hospital in March 2010.

Despite noting that Dr Mohamed was “an experienced practitioner in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology” and that his appointment to the Hospital had been met with some resentment, the tribunal ruled his "fitness to practise" was "impaired by reason of deficient professional performance”. 

The imposed conditions – which included not being able to practise unless he is closely supervised and works at a junior trainee level – have now been extended for another 12 months due to "deficient professional performance". 

He is also required to notify the GMC before starting any new post and must comply with a personal development plan.  

Since the original tribunal in 2014, Dr Mohamed has made efforts to remediate through continuing professional development courses, as stipulated by the GMC conditions.

However, annual reviews have found he has not demonstrated sufficient improvement through actual clinical practice to have the restrictions lifted.  

In the most recent, the reviewer noted: "The conditions proposed are proportionate and sufficient to protect the public and the public interest.

"The public interest includes the protection of patients, the maintenance of public confidence in the profession, and declaring and upholding proper standards of conduct and behaviour."

The review also noted that the obstetrician and gynaecologist is now seeking employment in the UK under the required supervision.

Pictured: The GMC's medical practitioners tribunal determined Dr Mohamed's fitness to practice remains impaired due to deficient professional performance in a review published in March. 

Concerns were first raised about Dr Mohamed's practice during his employment at Jersey General Hospital from March 2010 to 2014 when a number of written complaints were made about his practice. 

An investigation was initiated, and the Hospital concluded that Dr Mohamed’s practice should be closely supervised. 

In April 2011, he was referred to the GMC due to concerns about his clinical skills and he underwent a performance assessment. 

The GMC restricts doctors' practice in cases where concerns are raised about their performance to protect patient safety.

Doctors can have conditions imposed limiting their scope of practice and requiring supervision until they remediate any identified deficiencies.

In February 2013, the assessment team found Dr Mohamed’s performance to be unacceptable in three areas: assessment, investigations, treatment and patients.

He was referred to a Fitness to Practise Panel, which took place in February 2014. His practice was found to be impaired by reason of his deficient professional performance and he accepted undertakings on his registration.

In November 2015, Dr Mohamed underwent another performance assessment as required by these undertakings. 

Pictured:  Dr Mohamed, who first had his fitness to practice questioned while working in Jersey in 2010, has had restrictions limiting his ability to work extended for another year by the General Medical Council. 

The assessment team found that his performance gave cause for concern in the areas of assessment, and his record-keeping was unacceptable in the area of clinical management.

Dr Mohamed’s fitness to practise has been impaired since then following annual reviews. 

In March 2021, Dr Mohamed’s case was reviewed and it was noted that his attempts to provide evidence against the conditions imposed on his registration had been severely affected by the pandemic. 

Living in the UK, he had been unable to practice there or abroad. Without enough evidence that his performance had improved, his conditions were extended for a further 12 months.

The same happened in May 2022, with the tribunal chair concluding: “I have applied the principle of proportionality, weighing Dr Mohamed’s own interests with the public interest."

And then in April 2023, the reviewer noted: “I have taken into account that since the previous order was made the circumstances have not changed."

Finally, in March 2024, the GMC's medical practitioners tribunal determined Dr Mohamed's fitness to practice remains impaired due to deficient professional performance.