A senior NHS doctor has been permanently barred from practising medicine after a disciplinary tribunal found him guilty of assaulting a vulnerable patient and then attempting to conceal his actions.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) concluded that Dr. Salman Siddiqi's behaviour constituted a fundamental breach of trust and posed a significant risk to patient safety. The tribunal heard disturbing details of the incident that led to these severe sanctions.
Details of the misconduct
According to tribunal documents, the incident occurred when Dr. Siddiqi became physically aggressive with a patient during a consultation. Witnesses described behaviour that went far beyond appropriate medical practice, with the tribunal determining his actions amounted to deliberate assault.
Perhaps more concerning than the initial incident was Dr. Siddiqi's subsequent attempt to disguise his misconduct. The tribunal found he had deliberately documented false information in the patient's records in an effort to justify his actions and avoid detection.
Tribunal's decisive ruling
The tribunal panel expressed grave concerns about Dr. Siddiqi's lack of insight into the seriousness of his behaviour and his failure to demonstrate any meaningful remorse. In their ruling, they stated that his actions were "fundamentally incompatible with continued medical registration".
Panel chair Paul Curtis emphasised: "The tribunal was in no doubt that the only proportionate and appropriate sanction was to erase Dr. Siddiqi's name from the medical register. His actions represented a serious departure from the standards expected of a medical professional."
Implications for patient safety
This case has raised important questions about safeguarding mechanisms within the NHS. The General Medical Council (GMC), which brought the case against Dr. Siddiqi, stressed its commitment to protecting patients from practitioners who fall seriously short of professional standards.
A spokesperson for the GMC commented: "While the majority of doctors maintain high standards, we will not hesitate to take action when those standards are breached in such a serious manner. Patient safety must always come first."
The ruling serves as a stark reminder of the professional accountability all medical practitioners face and the serious consequences of violating the trust placed in them by patients and the public.
