The Petition of the patients and community of Northallerton,
Declares that the Petitioners are outraged by the decision made by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service to ban Doctor Derek Keilloh from practising medicine; further that Doctor Keilloh is a much admired, respected and caring professional and has served the Community of Northallerton for almost 10 years with dedication, humility and humanity.
As new statutory rules governing the MPTS procedures are expected to be approved by Parliament in 2013, we call into question the MPTS (GMC) policy of being able to erase a Doctor on probability and supposed public interest rather than any clinical failing, and suggest the support this Petition has received shows otherwise. The Petition was originally addressed to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal and achieved 1034 signatures and we trust that this shows enough public opinion to interest the House.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons acknowledge and investigate a sanction which they believe was too harsh.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented on 21 May 2013; Official Report, Vol. 563, c. P5-P6.]
[P001181]
Observations from the Secretary of State for Health:
The General Medical Council is an independent statutory body, directly accountable to Parliament. The Department or its Ministers cannot become involved in individual cases. Doctors have a right of appeal to the High Court (Court of Session in Scotland) against any decision by a panel to restrict or remove their registration.
The General Medical Council is seeking to improve and modernise its fitness to practise adjudication processes, to enhance independence of adjudication whilst continuing to protect patients and the public. This includes the establishment of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, to run the CMC’s fitness to practise hearings.
The Department is developing the legislation to formally set up the MPTS in co-production with the GMC. The legislation will make the necessary changes to the Medical Act 1983, through an Order under s60 of the Health Act 1999. This will be debated in both the Commons and the Lords.