A medical watchdog has asked the High Court to quash the controversial decision to allow former neurologist Michael Watt to be removed from the medical register.
he Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has filed an appeal with the High Court due to “concerns” over the way the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) reached its decision.
The development will bring renewed hope that the former consultant neurologist, who is at the centre of Northern Ireland’s largest ever patient recall, could face fitness to practise proceedings.
In a statement issued on Monday, the PSA said: “The authority has referred the matter to the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland due to its concern that the decision was not sufficient to protect the public.
“The authority is concerned that the decision of the tribunal erred in failing to give sufficient weight to the public interest in this case being considered at a fitness to practise hearing and that there were procedural errors in the panel’s approach.
“Accordingly, the authority is asking the court to quash the decision allowing voluntary erasure and replace it with an order refusing voluntary erasure.”
The PSA was set up under the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 and oversees 10 statutory bodies that regulate health and social care professionals in the UK.
It assesses their performance and reports to Parliament, and can also appeal fitness to practise cases to the courts if it considers sanctions are insufficient to protect the public and it is in the public interest.
Reacting to the latest development, a spokesman from the General Medical Council (GMC) said: “We were extremely disappointed that the MPTS allowed Michael Watt’s application for voluntary erasure.
“As we do not have powers to appeal the tribunal’s decision, we are very pleased that the PSA have decided to appeal using their own powers.
“We hope this will give reassurance and clarity to Michael Watt’s patients and their families.”
Earlier this month, it emerged the MPTS ruled in favour of the medic’s application for voluntary erasure from the GMC register due to the risk of suicide if he faced a fitness to practice hearing.
The MPTS is the body responsible for conducting hearings into the fitness to practise of doctors and makes independent decisions about cases referred by the GMC.
A redacted account of the reasons for granting voluntary erasure said the MPTS had heard the medic told a doctor he had experienced “dark spells”, and that “it got that black”, he had considered drowning or hanging himself.
The tribunal was also told Mr Watt has no intention of working as a doctor again, to the point where he “deliberately avoided being confronted with medical issues, even avoiding watching medical dramas on TV”.
The MPTS panel released the redacted version of its controversial decision to grant Mr Watt voluntary erasure after concerns the development has damaged public confidence in the regulation of doctors in Northern Ireland.
The report revealed the panel heard conflicting evidence over the gravity of Mr Watt’s medical condition.
Following the MPTS decision to grant voluntary erasure to Mr Watt, the GMC sought independent legal advice over the possibility of a judicial review.
However, it subsequently “reluctantly concluded” there was “no realistic prospect” of a successful legal challenge.
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