Concerns about doctor first raised in Jersey continue eight years on

Tuesday 17 May 2022

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

Dr Gamal Mohamed, who left the island in 2014, had restrictions placed on him by the General Medical Council, who determined that his clinical capability was impaired.

These restrictions were first placed on him in 2014 by medical practitioners’ tribunal. In its report, the panel addressed Dr Mohamed, noting: “At the time of the Performance Assessment you were employed as Staff Grade Doctor at the Jersey General Hospital. 

“You took up this appointment in March 2010. Following your appointment at the Hospital, a number of written complaints were submitted with concerns about your practice. 

“These concerns were initially addressed by Mr B, who is an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Consultant at the Hospital. Following a meeting with you in August 2010 Mr B concluded that your practice should be closely supervised. 

“Thereafter, the GMC received a referral from the States of Jersey Health and Social Care Department in April 2011. This raised a number of concerns about your clinical capabilities.”

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

Last March, 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.

And the same has recently happened again, with the tribunal chair reviewing the case concluding: “I have applied the principle of proportionality, weighing Dr Mohamed’s own interests with the public interest.  

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

“I am satisfied that the proposed conditions would be proportionate and sufficient to protect the public and the public interest.”

Conditions include notifying the GMC of any post he accepts before starting it and being assigned a ‘responsible officer’ to oversee his work.

The ruling noted that Dr Mohamed was now seeking to work in the UK.