Not Enough

PUBLISHED: 23:02, 24 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:02, 24 September 2012

The sex offender doctors allowed to keep working: Dozens can't be banned in case it breaches their human rights

"Dozens of doctors have kept their jobs despite being convicted of serious sex offences.

Medical chiefs claim they cannot ban all sex offenders from working because it might breach their human rights.

At least 31 male GPs, consultants and surgeons are practising even after having assaulted women, been in possession of child pornography or solicited prostitutes.

None of their patients have been informed.

Some of those with child pornography offences are even believed to be free to treat children.

Patients’ groups and MPs say people would be horrified to learn a sex offending doctor had examined them."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2208117/The-sex-offender-doctors-allowed-working-Dozens-banned-case-breaches-human-rights.html#ixzz27b6j745w

25 Sep 2012

Sex offender doctors still allowed to work

"The General Medical Council has revealed that it is unable to ban medics for being on the sex offenders’ register as it had been advised that such a move would be breaching human rights legislation.

It has emerged that at least 31 men are still working as GPs, consultants and surgeons despite having convictions for various sex offences, and their patients are unaware of their criminal histories.

The GMC Chief Executive, Niall Dickson, said:

“Cases of doctors convicted of sexual assault or child pornography offences are very rare and in the vast majority of these cases these doctors are struck off the medical register so they cannot practise medicine in the UK.”

However, a spokesman for the Council said the decision on whether to strike off a doctor was taken by an independent panel of experts and the GMC could not appeal against it, and although the GMC is looking to automatically strike off doctors who have been convicted of sexual offences, it does not have that power at the moment.

Individual hospitals, however, can impose their own sanctions on doctors."

http://www.workplacelaw.net/content/43658

25 September, 2012 - 15:16

How many doctors are sex offenders?

"The GMC has inquired whether it might be possible to automatically ban doctors on the sex offenders register. However, the QC whom they consulted for legal advice suggested that 'an automatic bar, without exceptions, would not be compatible with human rights legislation'.

In other words, it's standard that each case is judged on its particular circumstances. For every single doctor whose name ends up on the sex offenders register, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service makes a decision about whether or not they're fit to practice. The GMC also refers these cases to the Independent Safeguarding Authority, which decides whether individuals should be allowed to work with children or vulnerable adults.

Once we know how many doctors have been barred from practising because of sexual offences, we'll be able to calculate what proportion of doctors keep their licences. We will then know whether these 31 doctors are the exceptions that prove a rule - that, as the GMC claims, most doctors guilty of a sexual offence are in fact struck off."

http://fullfact.org/factchecks/how_many_doctors_sex_offenders-28266