Nigerian doctor Tubonye Harry faces prospect of being struck off UK medical register - See more at: http://www.nigerianwatch.com/news/4668-nigerian-doctor-tubonye-harry-faces-prospect-of-being-struck-off-uk-medical-register#sthash.oUSsSWoX.Vg0qfLWn.dpuf

Nigerian doctor Tubonye Harry faces prospect of being struck off UK medical register - See more at: http://www.nigerianwatch.com/news/4668-nigerian-doctor-tubonye-harry-faces-prospect-of-being-struck-off-uk-medical-register#sthash.oUSsSWoX.Vg0qfLWn.dpuf

Posted by Sylvester on Thursday, June 26, 2014 0

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NIGERIAN doctor Tubonye Harry faces the threat of being struck off the medical register after a General Medical Council (GMC) tribunal found him guilty of bringing infectious material into the UK.
Consultant Dr Tubonye Harry allegedly breached international regulations when he brought the infectious material into the UK in his hand luggage in December 2010. A former genito-urinary specialist, who worked at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston at the time and helped found Great Yarmouth’s Bure Clinic, Dr Harry had packed the samples in Royal Mail safe boxes and brought them into the country.

However, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service was told he broke guidelines prohibiting their transportation. Speaking at

the tribunal being held in Manchester this week GMC expert witness Dr Philip Wood, said that although the risk to the public was small the potential consequences were very high. Dr Harry also breached regulations when he unpacked the samples at home and transported them to the Bure Clinic in Great Yarmouth in his own car. Robin Kitching, for the GMC, further alleged the medic was dishonest when he asked a colleague to classify two patients as private rather than National Health Service NHS in their medical notes.

 In 2012, Dr Harry was sacked for gross misconduct by the James Paget University Hospital Trust after concerns were raised over samples from Nigerian patients being processed on the NHS. 

An employment tribunal later found he had been unfairly dismissed by the trust but the medic is now accused of misconduct at a hearing in Manchester after he was referred to the GMC. Now, Dr Harry could face conditions on his registration and up to a years’ suspension from the medical register, or even being struck off if the three-person fitness to practice panel finds against him. He accepts that he did not comply with guidance but denies his actions constituted a serious breach. In a report prepared for the GMC, Dr Wood said the doctor’s actions fell seriously below the standard of care one would expect’ from a competent consultant. He added:

 “The risk will revolve around the risk of rupture of the container and potential seepage of blood and particularly the closed space of an air cabin and the subsequent risk of circulation, potentially by aerosol.”

 “The likelihood may be small, but the consequences of dissemination of an infected blood sample would be very high. The risk would be that the samples are being transported in packaging that may not withstand a road traffic accident or similar event and if that were the case that would place the individual involved and responders at risk of exposure to an infected substance."

 Jeremy Hyam, defending Dr Harry, suggested that the boxes used to carry the blood samples in were virtually indestructible and could have even ended up on the same plane as Harry had he sent them by courier or post. Dr Harry qualified as a doctor in 1979 and has been a consultant since 1996. He worked for the NHS trust for 16 years and helped set up the Bure Clinic for patients with sexually transmitted conditions. The hearing, which is expected to finish on Friday, continues. -