GP to be investigated by the GMC

I worked in Saudi Arabia for 6 months and the Saudi nurses wore face veils.

It was perfectly easy to understand everything they said - a thin piece of cloth does not muffle your voice. Maybe she she has a voice that doesn't carry well, mumbles, or a strong accent - removing the veil wouldn't have made a difference IMO.

Preferring to see someone's face is a different matter.

The husband sat outside glowering ? This all sounds unpleasant, people giving interviews to the press

I dare say it could have been quickly solved. There must be millions of consultations going on and occasionally something goes wrong.

The local Stoke newspaper reported that the woman's husband sat outside the surgery glowering

You can sense the hostility in that statement - what exactly does it mean? Did he sit permanently with a scowl and not change expression? How does one glower?

Terri why is this all over the press? What good is it doing - we know damn well what is going on and it ain’t pretty. Hundreds of doctors are referred to the GMC every year and for the doctor to go to the press at this stage is very very unusual if not unprecedented. He is hardly helping his case.

River exactly.

Picture in the paper here stoke sentinel

Doesn't look at all aggresive does he?

Did he "go to the press"? The first I heard about this was when I was told about a petition started by his patients supporting him. Perhaps the press picked up on that and interviewed him.

And how much does he need to hear to check if a child has tonsillitis?

Wonder what race relations generally are like in Stoke?

Elvive exactly - the fact that it wasn’t easily and quickly resolved potentially speaks volumes. And now it’s being really escalated and feelings are being stirred up by the whole way it’s being reported.

Beckett the press reporting on this is all over the place and contradictory ( well there’s a surprise). What are the ‘facts’ about the petition? We don’t know. What we do know is that the doctor has freely given interviews to the press and posed for photographs.

I don't think a doctor would carry on a consultation with a motor cyclist who kept his helmet on which muffled speech. Another man's career could be ruined by someone who takes offence for someone else.

Well I don't doubt it's all over the press because it feeds into the wider issue of the schism that exists between sections of our society, in the same way demonstrations are taking place in some schools against the LGBT education programme. I agree it should have been resolved before it was allowed to escalate, but if the GP has been reported to the GMC then as you rightly state Maryeliza the correct procedures have to be adhered to. In the meantime all that takes a while and the GP, if I understand rightly is not allowed to practice.

I can't agree about "he should have just asked her to speak up" she could have been heavily accented and that combined with a mumble means that if your hearing isn't 100% the doctor may have needed to see the movement of the mouth to fully understand her properly and isn't it highly important that a doctor does hear everything otherwise he may miss something really crucial, especially as the actual patient was a young child.

A motorbike helmet is hardly the same thing. The muslim veil is a religious thing.

Sounds to me like the doctor was being a bullying clever-arse.

This is either just a storm in a teacup or there is more to this than we're led to believe.
It appears to be a ridiculously inflammatory article !

This works both ways. Years ago I had an echocardiogram and the results were " explained " to me by a doctor who wore the full garb, veil and all. It took me all my time to cut through her accent for starters without the veil being in the way of my trying to read her lips.
I was continually asking her to repeat what she'd said as it was my health at stake and I'd wished that she'd have written things down. I was no wiser when I left and I'm by no means deaf or daft.

I wished I'd written to the local rag !!

He could have asked her to just move the veil away from her mouth. Not remove it.

Agree that it is disturbing to not be able to understand foreign doctors at hospitals.

maryeliza and if he had refused to speak to the press no doubt people would be saying it was because he had something to hide.

All I am saying is that the first I heard about this was when I was told about the petition started by his patients - whether it was reported in the press before then I have no idea.

The doctor is allowed to practice atm whilst the case is fully investigated. However he is a locum finding work through an agency so they appear to be playing safe - which is their right. As for his interviews with the press and the photo shoots, why not a dignified ‘ the matter is being investigated by the GMC and I don’t wish to comment further until that process is over’ His medical defence body would give him free advice and probably have written a press statement for him. As it is they are probably wringing their hands as he digs a deeper and deeper hole for himself.

I have just looked up the petition. It is being signed by anyone and if you look at the reasons for signing you will see exactly what is to be expected - filthy racist ill informed comments. The heading to the petition is also factually incorrect in that it says he has been suspended. He has not.

It's been done to stir up racial comments-----both black and white races are as bad as each other when it comes to causing trouble.

I'm not being racist by saying that a foreign doctor hadn't told me that I'd had a mini-stroke after I'd had a scan for dizziness. If I had been racist I'd have written to the media because this was a serious health matter 18 months ago-----but I didn't !!

EV in the example you give, the doctors nationality is completely irrelevant and the correct course of action would have been to complain to his/her employers.

In this case, the petition is encouraging racism. I haven’t seen a petition demanding he be sacked, has anyone?

Maryeliza, so if I had complained wouldn't it have been construed as racism by those who are paranoid about whites complaining about foreigners ? Of course it would,
particularly if the doctor in question was a professional in her field against a" silly old woman who knows nothing " and was just out to make trouble.

Sadly, as we speak, the same hospital is under fire because of the " bullying culture " that exists.

Well I’ve no idea have I EV and I doubt you have either