Dr Preethi Suresh, a cardiology trainee at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has been suspended for 12 months after lying to the NHS about attending a mandatory training day. the Medical Practitioners Tribunal found that on February 29, 2024 — in the middle of her scheduled wedding leave — Dr Suresh filled out attendance forms and uploaded a completion certificate for a training course she did not attend. Her deception was uncovered by a supervisor who noticed she was booked as on leave, not in training.

The wedding day that cost Dr Preethi Suresh 12 months of practice

According to the tribunal, Dr Suresh was on leave from February 26 to March 1, 2024, for her wedding. the training day fell on February 29. Rather than asking for an exemption or clarification on attendance requirements, she logged onto the WhatsApp-based QR-code registration system, submitted two attendance forms, and later uploaded a certificate to her professional portfolio. The tribunal described her actions as multiple dishonest acts, not a single error, placing her misconduct at the highest level of seriousness.

A second strike for dishonesty after a 2021 warning

As the tribunal noted, Dr Suresh had already received a Medical Practitioners Tribunal warning in December 2021 for dishonest conduct. the new case means she now has two marks on her record. she told the hearing that she understood why colleagues and the Tribunal might question whether she could be trusted in future, saying “one dishonest act could damage years of trust and reputation.” The General Medical Council representative argued that her actions were done “intentionally” and for “professional benefit.”

Why a cardiology trainee thought she needed 70% attendance when 60% was enough

The training days were part of the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) process, with a required attendance of about 60% of sessions. dr Suresh told the tribunal she wrongly believed she needed 70% attendance and, based on her own calculations, thought she was falling short. In reality, she was well above the required attendance. The tribunal chair Emma Gilberthorpe said Dr Suresh described her actions as “seriously dishonest” but claimed she “pressed the panic button” in a “chaotic state of mind” before her wedding. The case raises broader questions about how training pressures on junior doctors may push some to cut corners rather than seek help.

The supervisor's quick catch and the confession that followed

Professor Vassilios Vassiliou, consultant cardiologist at Norfolk University Hospital, noticed that Dr Suresh was not present on the training day despite her submission. When questioned, she immediately confessed, later telling the tribunal she “immediately knew it was wrong.” She then removed the certificate from her portfolio. The tribunal acepted that she did not ultimately derive the benefit she sought because the conduct was identified in time, but it considered the “potential benefit was significant.” Dr Suresh said she was not seeking to blame colleagues, the training programme, her wedding, or any external factor.

What remains unknown

The tribunal ordered a review hearing at the end of the 12-month suspension, but the outcome is uncertain. Questions persist about whether Dr Suresh will be allowed to return to practice, and what further training or oversight she will require. The source report does not detail how many junior doctors face similar pressures or whether the NHS has revised its training attendance policies in response to this incident. Also unclear is the specific nature of the 2021 warning beyond the fact that it also involved dishonesty.