A locum doctor accused of working in the Highlands despite being suspended has made several calls for help to a number of world leaders.
Ragheb Nouman is accused of signing a declaration on May 13, 2013 stating that he was not subject of a fitness to practice investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC) while he was working for NHS Highland, knowing this was untrue.
The 52-year-old Syrian-born doctor also faces a charge that he failed to tell the health board that he was suspended by the GMC’s interim orders panel.
Dr Nouman is alleged to have made a number of racist and inappropriate remarks about Indians to and about colleagues while working in orthopaedics at North Tees Hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust between May 21 and July 9, 2012.
Among the alleged remarks he is accused of making he said: “I am not racist. I have no problem with Arabs or Jews, only with Indians and the Indian population.”
The doctor is currently facing a hearing in front of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in Manchester which is due to continue until December 23.
But ahead of the hearing, the doctor sent a series of messages to a number of high-powered people, including Prime Minister David Cameron and US president Barack Obama seeking help ahead of the hearing.
He sent a series of messages to a number of social media accounts for Mr Cameron, the Conservative Party and 10 Downing Street in October comparing the GMC to his home country.
His repeated message read: “Do you know Professor Terence Stephenson (GMC Chair), I need your support – GMC treated me as like Syrian regime. Dr R.N.”
After not receiving a response he sent another message to both an official social media account for the US President and the basketball team Chicago Bulls.
In it, he said: “Hello Mr Obama, can you call Mr David Cameron regarding corrupted staff in General Medical Council UK. Dr Nouman-England.”
A spokeswoman for the MPTS said that the hearing is currently at the first stage of hearing from witnesses.
NHS Highland refused to say where Dr Nouman had worked as a locum in the north.
A spokeswoman added that he had been removed from duty after the GMC’s investigation came to light.