9th May 2005
NEWS RELEASE
Harrow Clinical Scientist Suspended by Health Professions Council

A clinical scientist from Harrow, Middlesex has been suspended by the Health Professions Council (HPC) for one year.

A panel of the Conduct and Competence Committee of the Health Professions Council (HPC) met on Friday 6th May 2005 at Park House, Kennington to hear the case of Muhammad Khokhar. The panel heard the allegation that his fitness to practise as a registered health professional is impaired by reason of his lack of competence as a registered health professional whilst in the employment of the North West Thames Regional Genetics Service.

Sandy Yule, Chairman of the Panel said "We are of the view that the initial causes for concern about your competence....were sufficiently serious analytical errors to lead us to the conclusion that these two allegations are well founded and that your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of your lack of competence in relation to them. On both allegations, you had been informed in advance that an abnormality was present but you failed to identify them when you should have done so, at your level of seniority.

"In relation to Particulars of allegations 6, 10 and 13 your fitness to practise is not impaired by reason of your lack of competence. However, we have found that your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of your lack of competence on all the other particulars of allegations. Overall, the Panel is of the view that there is a real probability that your fitness to practise is impaired by reason of your lack of competence, even with the pressures and stresses, that you have described experiencing in the capability procedure tests.

"Our decision is to suspend you from practice for one year. The HPC will ensure this Order is reviewed at a time before the 12 month period has expired under Article 30 of Health Professions Order 2001. You should remember that at that time the Panel has the power (amongst others) to extend the suspension order, or to replace it by a conditions of practise order. Thus, you may wish to use this year to enhance and consolidate your practice and your identified shortcomings by, for example, further training and supervision if you can and/or to seek it out as being available to you in the future."

The panel issued an interim suspension order for 18 months.

The Health Professions Council is a UK-wide health regulator set up to protect the public. It sets standards for thirteen health professions. The HPC only registers people who meet its standards for their professional skills, behaviour and health, and will take action against people who do not.