Surgeon who compared medical authority to terrorist group banned from working

Dr Moudar Mahfoud (49) shouted and swore at colleagues during an appendectomy procedure at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, in Harlow, Essex.

He was also involved in an “unseemly confrontation with a patient’s husband”, the  Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service tribunal found.

The hearing was told he worked at Rotherham Hospital in during August 2013 without a licence after being hired through an agency.

Dr Mahfoud compared the disciplinary process to the beheading of innocent people by Islamic terrorists in Syria and Iraq.

In an email to the GMC earlier this month he stated: “ISIS cuts innocent people’s throats in the name of God.

“The GMC destroys a doctor's life and say: ‘It is in the public interest’. What is the difference?”

MPTS panel chairman Karen Heenan described the comparison as a “serious error of judgement”, adding: “Dr Mahfoud has demonstrated no appreciation that members of the public would find his behaviour unacceptable, both in terms of his misconduct in clinical settings and in his disregard for the regulatory system which exists to keep patients safe.”

The GMC, represented by Paul Raudnitz, had called for the doctor to be struck off, but the independent fitness to practise panel decided it would be “disproportionate”, instead suspending him for 12 months.

Ms Heenan said: “The panel is satisfied that patients and the public interest can be adequately protected by a period of suspension and that erasure from the register would be disproportionate to Dr Mahfoud’s misconduct.

“The panel recognises that its primary task is to protect the public and the public interest and not to rehabilitate the doctor.

“A period of suspension sends a clear signal to the doctor and to other professionals that such misconduct puts a doctor’s registration at risk.

“It also protects the public interest and allows a period of time for an otherwise competent surgeon to demonstrate that he has taken steps to remediate his misconduct and once again ready to serve the public as a skilled surgeon.”

Dr Mahfoud was reported to the GMC following a row with a patient’s husband at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in May last year.

The tribunal heard that he lost his temper at the suggestion he had been “abrupt” with the woman, who had been admitted to hospital suffering from gallstones.

Hostilities later resumed when they bumped into each other on the hospital ward and the argument became so heated that hospital security had to be called.

He was suspended but later was reinstated with a “final written warning”.

Dr Mahfoud later resigned and relinquished his licence to practise medicine on July 29, 2013.

But he worked as a consultant for the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust whilst unlicensed for two days in August 2013.

He was also in breach of GMC conditions, which required him to inform and gain approval from his professional governing body for any job he took up.

The 12-month ban will take effect in next month, subject to appeal, although the panel imposed an immediate suspension order.

A DOCTOR has been accused of failing to be fit to practise at a professional misconduct hearing.

At a hearing in Manchester the General Medical Council alleged Swinton-based Dr Murugesu Muthulingaswamy’s performance was unacceptable.

Dr Muthulingaswamy underwent a GMC assessment and his professional performance was found to be unacceptable in the following areas:

Assessment of patients’ condition.

Providing or arranging investigations.

Providing or arranging treatment.

Record keeping.

Other clinical care.

Maintaining good medical practice.

Working with patients.

Working with colleagues.

In the “knowledge test”, he scored 60.83 per cent, which is below the standard set mark of 63.13 per cent.

The GMC say that the matters alleged show his fitness to practise is impaired because of his “deficient professional performance”.