Sudheer Shabir, a former doctor removed from the medical register for sexually touching a patient,has been appointed as a senior manager at Pennine GP Alliance. in this role, Shabir has reportedly presided over internal hearings regarding sexual misconduct allegations, sparking outrage among staff.
The September 2019 examination of Patient A
Sudheer Shabir's professional downfall began during a consultation in September 2019.. According to the Daily Mail, a General Medical Council (GMC) tribunal found that Shabir touched a patient's breasts without clinical justification while she was seeking treatment for recurrent tonsillitis.
The evidence presented to the tribunal indicated that Shabir asked the patient to lift her sweatshirt for a chest examination and subsequently placed his hand inside her bra. The GMC concluded that these actions were sexually motivated and entirely unnecessary for the clinical needs of the patient, who later reported the incident to both her practice and the police.
A 2023 High Court appeal and the medical register
The legal and professional consequences for Sudheer Shabir culminated in 2023 . After a 2022 tribunal ruling confirmed the misconduct, Shabir attempted to overturn the decision through the legal system .
However, in July 2023, the High Court dismissed his appeal, leading to his formal removal from the medical register. This sanction effectively ended his legal ability to practice medicine in the United Kingdom, marking him as a disgraced professional within the healthcare community.
Sudheer Shabir's role at Pennine GP Alliance
Despite his history of sexual misconduct, Sudheer Shabir now serves as a board member and the Central Halifax Primary Care Network manager for the Pennine GP Alliance. This member-led organization manages 19 GP practices across Calderdale, West Yorkshire, and receives partial funding from the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
The appointment has caused significant friction within the organization. As reported by the Daily Mail, staff members have expressed deep discomfort that a man struck off for sexual boundary violatoins is now occupying a senior management position where he oversees other healthcare professionals.
White Ribbon UK support vs. the misconduct chair
The most contentious aspect of Shabir's employment is his role in chairing internal hearings on sexual misconduct. This assignment creates a stark contradiction with the Pennine GP Alliance's public alignment with White Ribbon UK, a charity dedicated to preventing violence against women.
Employees have questioned the ethics of an organization that champions women's safety while placing a sanctinoed individual in a position of authority over misconduct cases.. Insiders have suggested that hiring someone with Shabir's background puts staff—the majority of whom are women—at an unacceptable risk.
How Pennine GP Alliance vetted a sanctioned doctor
Several critical questions remain regarding the hiring process at Pennine GP Alliance. It is currently unclear which specific board members approved the appointment of Sudheer Shabir or why his history did not disqualify him from overseeing disciplinary cases. Furthermore, it remains unverified whether the organization followed standard safeguarding protocols during the recruitment process.
The Pennine GP Alliance has not yet issued a public statement explaining its governance decisions or why it deemed Shabir fit for a leadership role. This silence has fueled calls for an independent investigation into the alliance's hiring practices and its commitment to patient and staff safety.
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