A GP demonstrated an “unacceptable approach” to consultations while being filmed by undercover reporters, according to a professional panel.
The General Medical Council’s fitness to practice panel has concluded that Dr Inayat Inayatullah’s fitness to practice was impaired on the basis of his misconduct. It considered evidence on the way he carried out consultations in 2011 on two patients who were undercover reporters for Channel 4’s Dispatches programme.
The show sparked an investigation as it followed an incident in which the lone practitioner told a Plaistow mother-of-two in 2002 that she had swollen glands. Linda Geden registered with another doctor and was diagnosed with cancer in April 2003. Despite treatment, she died in June 2006 aged 38.
The GMC ruled then that his fitness to practice had been impaired and imposed 13 conditions.
Dr Inayatullah was subsequently filmed at his Barking Road medical centre telling one ‘patient’ to eat mangoes after he described symptoms of bowel cancer. The panel found he diagnosed constipation and failed to carry out a rectal examination.
Chairman of the panel, Ian Spafford, said: “The consultations in relation to patient AC and patient JB were separate events and, put together with the circumstances which led to your fitness to practice being found impaired in 2006, demonstrate a pattern of your unacceptable approach to consultations.”
Mr Spafford said the doctor had “breached a fundamental tenet of the medical profession by failing to provide a good standard of practice and care”. He also demonstrated a lack of insight.
The panel has now adjourned and will decide at a later date what sanctions to impose on the GP who could be barred from practising.
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