One of the women who suffered mentally and physically after being treated by a gynaecologist found to have committed a number of serious failings has told Express she is determined to fight for “justice”.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, she explained how her life was ruined when she came under Ali Shokouh-Amiri’s care during his time working in Guernsey.
She was one of the six women who had their experiences cited last week in a case heard by a tribunal, which ruled decided he is fit to continue practising Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service decided to give Mr Shokouh-Amiri a formal warning after he admitted a number of failings, but decided he can continue working.
The MPTS said all of the failings that were admitted or found to be proven concerned “over-familiarity with patients, surgical issues, clinical errors, and chaperones”.
These failings included removing the ovaries of two women without their consent, carrying out intimate examinations on patients without a chaperone, and failing to arrange treatment for another patient.
Of these and other admitted or proven allegations, the MPTS heard they included incidents of “serious misconduct” or were “seriously below the accepted standard” in medical care.
Many other allegations were not admitted or proven, with the MPTS ultimately deciding that his “fitness to practise is not impaired”.
That decision left one of his victims “broken” and “let down” but determined to fight for “justice”.
“The last six years have been almost unbearable and has impacted my life greatly,” she told Express.
Explaining how she feels after spending those years fighting already, she said the fight will have to continue.
“I am broken over the news, but will never stop fighting for justice – for the harm that he has caused to me, my family, and the other women and their families, of whose lives he has ruined.”
The woman told Express that not only has her trust in the medical profession been shattered but she also feels let down by the Law Officers who decided against pressing any criminal charges when complaints were made regarding Mr Shokouh-Amiri’s work in 2019.
She also feels let down by those who have now decided he can continue working.
“The police investigated the allegations and brought it to the Law Officers on two occasions, but the law officers refused to take it to court. I am still waiting on answers as to why this decision was made.
“I feel incredibly let down by the MSG, the Law Officers, the GMC, and the MPTS. The people who should have protected me and the other women he has harmed.”
Regarding the MSG directly, the lady also told Express that the Medical Specialist Group refused to pay for the psychotherapy treatment which she started whilst Mr Shokouh-Amiri was suspended but still employed locally.
Mr Shokouh-Amiri left the MSG and Guernsey in 2019 after concerns had been raised about a number of aspects of his work concerning the care of women locally.
The MSG has since confirmed he was placed under a ‘Managing high professional standards’ investigation in 2018 after a woman complained about a surgical procedure.
The internal investigation meant that Mr Shokouh-Amiri could only carry out certain surgical procedures under the supervision of another consultant.
Matters escalated early in 2019 when Guernsey Police notified the MSG that allegations of sexual assault or sexually motivated behaviour had been made against Mr Shokouh-Amiri.
At that time, he was “immediately excluded from having any contact with patients while the police carried out their investigation”.
The MSG has confirmed that Mr Shokouh-Amiri continued to be excluded from seeing patients until he left the MSG in August 2019.
On Monday, the MSG’s Chair apologised directly to the women affected by Mr Shokouh-Amiri’s past actions.
His former patient told Express that she is still suffering regardless of the measures put in place since she was treated by Mr Shokouh-Amiri, and she hopes no other woman ever has to go through what she has.
The woman’s statement in full:
“The last six years have been almost unbearable and has impacted my life greatly.
“The police investigated the allegations and brought it to the Law Officers on two occasions, but the Law Officers refused to take it to court. I am still waiting on answers as to why this decision was made.
“I feel incredibly let down by the MSG, the Law Officers, the GMC, and the MPTS. The people who should have protected me and the other women he has harmed.
“The tribunal hearing in Manchester, in my opinion, was one-sided. My mental state was brought in to question, but they refused to contact the people locally who would have confirmed that my mental state was not an issue and that my account of what happened was correct. As such I have been classed as a liar over the most traumatic experience that I sincerely hope no other woman ever needs to go through, by one of the most trusted professions, in the most intimate of circumstances.
“I am broken over the news, but will never stop fighting for justice – for the harm that he has caused to me, my family, and the other women and their families, of whose lives he has ruined.”