Dietitian Struck Off After Using ChatGPT in NHS Job Interview
A registered dietician has been struck off the UK professional register after being caught using ChatGPT to generate real-time, 'textbook' answers during a remote NHS job interview while she was located in Nigeria. The case, heard by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS), highlights growing concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in recruitment processes and its potential impact on patient safety.
Interview Panel Uncovers AI-Assisted Cheating
Aiwanehi Aigbokhaevbo participated in a video interview via Microsoft Teams in March 2024 for an oncology dietician position at the Royal Surrey County Hospital. The tribunal heard that while she answered personal questions with "great enthusiasm and spontaneity", her demeanor changed dramatically when clinical questions were posed.
Panel members observed several suspicious behaviors:
- Frequent requests for questions to be repeated
- Slow, deliberate repetition of questions back to interviewers
- Noticeable hesitation before providing answers
- Eyes moving "from side to side" as if reading from a screen
Despite this hesitation, her answers were delivered with "great fluency" and contained advanced medical terminology beyond what was expected for the role. One panel member later input the interview questions into ChatGPT and found significant similarities to the answers Aigbokhaevbo had provided.
Case Study Further Confirms AI Usage
Following the interview, Aigbokhaevbo was asked to complete a written case study within 45 minutes. The panel determined this was also completed using AI assistance, describing the responses as "too detailed and perfect" to be her own work. Three separate panel members concluded she had cheated during both the interview and case study components.
The tribunal noted that AI usage had become a particular problem with candidates from Nigeria applying for NHS positions, though this case represents one of the first formal disciplinary actions resulting from such detection.
Defendant's Denials and Tribunal Findings
During the hearing, Aigbokhaevbo vehemently denied using AI, stating that if she had done so, it would constitute "a great offence." She explained that this was her 17th job interview after applying for approximately 200 positions, and that her repetition of questions was merely a "reflex" to ensure proper understanding.
She attributed her glances away from the camera to checking her wi-fi router due to connectivity issues and maintained she needed time to "digest" questions before answering. However, the tribunal found her explanations inconsistent and unconvincing.
Serious Consequences for Professional Integrity
The panel delivered a scathing assessment of Aigbokhaevbo's conduct, stating: "Her dishonest use of AI was compounded by her subsequent lies and by seeking to cast doubt on the professional integrity and veracity of the HCPC witnesses."
The tribunal identified multiple serious concerns:
- Undermining the integrity of NHS recruitment processes
- Potential negative impact on hospital trusts from hiring underqualified staff
- Possible jeopardy to patient care from practitioners lacking claimed expertise
- Complete absence of remorse, insight, or remediation
The panel concluded that Aigbokhaevbo's fitness to practise was impaired at a personal level and that there was "a significant risk of repetition" given her attitude. They ordered her removal from the register with an interim 18-month suspension to cover any appeal period.
This landmark case establishes important precedent for addressing AI-assisted cheating in professional healthcare recruitment and underscores the critical importance of authentic qualification verification in maintaining NHS standards and patient safety.
