The Story INVESTIGATION: Why are doctors banned abroad working in the NHS?
Oct 3, 2025
George Greenwood, an investigative reporter at The Times, dives into alarming findings about doctors banned in other countries who still practice in the NHS. He reveals shocking cases, including a psychiatrist guilty of misconduct in New Mexico and a radiologist dismissed in Scandinavia, both managing to work in the UK. Greenwood discusses the failures of international regulatory cooperation and the dangers of 'jurisdiction shopping' where doctors exploit loopholes. He advocates for an international database to prevent this unsettling trend.
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Patient Given Unconsented Treatment
- John described being given rectal medication by a doctor without proper consent, which left him feeling violated.
- The incident was part of a pattern affecting around 200 patients before the doctor was struck off by the GMC.
Non-Disclosure And Limited Detection
- Some doctors lie and do not disclose overseas rulings when applying to the GMC, and detection is limited.
- Even when doctors disclose, the public often lacks access to the overseas misconduct details on the GMC register.
Data Matching Reveals Jurisdiction Shopping
- The Times matched banned-lists and licensing lists across countries to find mismatches and jurisdiction shopping.
- Poor international information sharing lets doctors move where regulators lack accessible records.