Fury as children’s doctor is suspended from NHS for six months… for using his wife’s travel pass

A leading pediatrician has been suspended for six months for using his wife’s free TfL travel pass.

Dr. James Ip was found to have acted unfairly in a case brought against him by the British medical regulator.

The General Medical Council (GMC) alleged that his actions threatened to undermine public confidence in the profession.

But the decision sparked anger among medics, who called it disproportionate since no patients were endangered by Dr. IP.

Commentators said the GMC harmed patients by withdrawing a hard-working medic from the NHS as the health service grapples with record backlogs in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Dr. Ip works as a consultant pediatric cardiac anaesthesiologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals.

He originally qualified in London almost 20 years ago.

Dr. Ip was caught using his wife’s passport by a Transport for London (TfL) inspector at Hammersmith Station on February 7 last year.

He also admitted to using the card, which entitles his wife to free travel, 54 more times between December 13, 2021 and February 4, 2022.

It is not clear why his wife, who is not named in the tribunal’s report, was given a free travel pass.

Dr. Ip admitted in court in July to entering a compulsory ticket area without a valid ticket and was convicted and fined £500.

He was also ordered to pay damages of £297 and costs.

The GMC, which argued for the suspension of Dr. a skilled physician’.

However, they said Dr Ip had acted unfairly by using a free travel pass to which he was not entitled.

Regulators also sounded the alarm because it was not an isolated incident, playing out over a period of two to three months.

They added that Dr Ip’s actions also constituted a significant breach of the GMC code, which states: ‘You must ensure that your conduct justifies your patient’s trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession .’

In a statement, Dr Ip claimed part of the reason he was using the pass was resentment at NHS staff having to pay to use TfL services during the pandemic, but added that he now acknowledged that this was incorrect.

“I now see that this rationalization was illogical, immoral and wrong,” he wrote in a statement explaining his actions to the tribunal.

“I recognize that fare evasion is a form of theft and free charging of other passengers and there was no excuse for not paying for my tickets.

“Since then I have admitted my wrongdoing and apologized to Transport for London for my behaviour.”

But the GMC noted that the given dates for using the card were after the Covid lockdowns were lifted.

They also noted that he admitted that more than half of the 55 trips involved his private practice or personal travel, not his work at GOSH.

The tribunal sided with the GMC, noting that Dr Ip’s action represented a form of continued dishonesty and, given the data, they could not accept his explanation for his actions.

“On each occasion the Tribunal found that Dr Ip must have known that what he was doing was wrong, but he did not stop until he was caught,” they said.

In terms of mitigation, the panel noted that Dr. Ip admitted the behavior at the earliest opportunity, contacted the GMC and expressed remorse and some insight regarding his actions.

But they judged that, on balance, a six-month suspension was the most appropriate and proportionate sanction to issue.

“He has violated one of the fundamental principles of the medical profession by acting dishonestly,” they wrote.

But the decision sparked outrage and ridicule from other medics.

Neurologist Dr. David Nicholl van Birmingham sarcastically wrote on Twitter: “Dear parent Gt Ormond St are REALLY sorry but your child’s heart surgery has been delayed for 6 months…as our cardiac anaesthesiologist has been suspended for 6 months by the GMC for using his heart’s Oyster card. wife, for which he had already been fined, we’re sure you’ll be happy with this.’

Others labeled it ‘pathetic’, ‘appalling’ and ‘a mockery’, with some noting that as Dr Ip cannot work while suspended, this was equivalent to imposing a £50,000 fine.

Other medics asked if they should report to the GMC for sharing Netlfix passwords.

Dr. Matt Bigwood of the Doctors’ Association UK was another critic of the ban imposed on Dr. IP was imposed.

“We at The Doctors’ Association UK are once again shocked and angry at the actions of the GMC,” he said.

“The six-month suspension for Dr IP for the offense committed is totally disproportionate, while other much more serious offenses (e.g. driving under the influence and sexual offences) often receive proportional suspensions.

“He has already admitted the fraud, repented and accepted the punishment.”

He added that the suspension could even harm patients by “potentially delaying pediatric heart surgery during his absence.”

Dr. Bigwood said ethnic minority doctors have repeatedly faced disproportionate sanctions from the GMC and called for action.

“There seems to be no change in the institutional racism that comes from within the GMC. We call for an immediate independent review of this,” he said.

But some medics said doctors were not above the law and should face professional sanctions if they broke the law.

Dr. Joel Giblett, cardiologist Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘You can’t dishonestly cheat repeatedly over a longer course and think there will be no consequences. It wasn’t a one-off. It didn’t stop until he got caught.’

And Kathye King, who claimed to be the mother of a child awaiting surgery at GOSH, said she supported the suspension.

“I am a parent of a child waiting for surgery at GOSH and honestly I would rather have an employee who was honest because if someone is willing to break the law it means they will probably do it elsewhere,” she said. wrote.

MailOnline approached the GMC about the response to the matter, but declined to comment.

Dr. Ip has 28 days to appeal against the tribunal’s decision, which was handed down on March 9.