A doctor used forged letters to try and resurrect

A doctor used forged letters to try and resurrect his medical career in Britain after he was banned from practicing in Canada, a hearing was told today.

(Mon)

Dr Maher Salib Hanna sent a flurry of misleading e-mails in a bid to secure a post as a family doctor in Inverness.

The Egyptian continued with the deception despite a worldwide alert from medical authorities after he was suspended for misconduct in Saskatchewan.

Ian Stern told the General Medical Council that Hanna’s application for a position as a GP was ‘deliberately misleading.

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He told a professional conduct committee that Hanna, who first qualified in Cairo in 1962, ‘fraudulently’ pushed for a job in a country or urban practice.

The doctor even claimed he wanted to ‘relocate’ to avoid ‘the harsh Canadian winter.

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Mr Stern, for the GMC, said Hanna was neither present nor represented at the hearing but had acknowledged the allegations being put before the tribunal.

He alleges Hanna, who worked in British hospitals between 1970 and 1979, is guilty of serious professional misconduct after being ‘dishonest and unprofessional.

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An overseas doctor is usually expected to undertake 24 months training in an approved UK hospital and a further year supervised in general practice before being granted a certificate.

However Mr Stern said it was open to an applicant to apply to the Joint Committee on Post Graduate Training for General Practice for an exemption based on experience.

He said Hanna claimed to be working as a GP despite being ‘prohibited from practicing’ in an E-mail sent to the head of postgraduate general practice in Inverness.

Ten minutes later Hanna sent a message: ‘I am doing short locum in Canada in anticipation of a move to the UK.

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The joint committee in the meantime wrote to Hanna explaining they had viewed the allegations of misconduct in Canada.

In further correspondence they told Hanna there were ‘significant problems with your practice as a principal GP in Canada.

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It ruled that in the public interest it recommended that Hanna undergo a ‘significant period of training’ in the UK with ‘compulsory assessment.

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Mr Stern said the joint committee also recommended Hanna should not apply for a position at that time.

The body suggested he should wait until after the GMC’s considering a ‘fitness to practice case.

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But he said an edited and altered copy of the communication was forwarded to Scotland in May 2002.

Training bosses were ‘sufficiently concerned’ about it to contact the joint committee directly.

‘The letter submitted by Hanna is, pardon the pun, a doctored letter,’ said Mr Stern.

‘He is applying for a position in Scotland knowing what he is putting before the Scottish authorities is clearly inaccurate.

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Mr Stern said Hanna’s fraudulent letter was full of mistakes and errors – as well as excluding information requested and ‘whole sentences’ from the original.

‘I do not point out the faults in the grammar but say that not only is it a different version, it is done with a degree of foresight and a degree of consideration as to which parts should be excluded.

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The hearing continues.

ends

addcanada.