Judge criticises how the GMC judged surgeon’s fitness to practise

A cosmetic surgeon has won a High Court ruling that quashes the UK General Medical Council’s finding that his fitness to practise was impaired. The ruling criticises the GMC’s procedures for deciding whether doctors are competent to go on practising.

The judge, Mr Justice Collins, criticised the GMC for delays, for late disclosure of the marking sheets from a clinical assessment, and for basing its decision that Riad Roomi’s fitness to practise was impaired on findings that were outside the scope of the allegations against him.

Mr Roomi, who graduated from the University of Baghdad in 1977, practised in the United Kingdom from 1979 and obtained full registration in …