Concern at medics with criminal records

Some 927 physicians with convictions are practising, the General Medical Council (GMC) revealed in a Freedom of Information response to the Daily Mirror.

The figures showed that 25 doctors had convictions for actual bodily harm and three for grievous bodily harm, while three were caught in possession of indecent images of children.

There were also two convictions for causing death by dangerous driving, two of drug trafficking, and two of cruelty to children.

Other offences included attacking their partners, harassment, weapon possession, threats to kill, perverting justice, fraud, kerb-crawling, forgery and theft, as well as driving offences. The largest category, at 296, was for being drunk at the wheel.

None of those treated by the 927 physicians has been informed.

Niall Dickson, GMC chief executive, said: “The number of licensed doctors with criminal convictions is extremely small and in the vast majority of cases these doctors are either subject to restrictions on their practice or are struck off the medical register.”

Roger Goss, founder of Patient Concern, said: “Patients should be made aware if their doctor is found guilty of serious criminal offences that could affect their care and be allowed to make up their own minds if they want to risk being treated by them.”