A watchdog has ruled a locum doctor provided misleading information in order to gain work in the Highlands while being investigated for racism.
Ragheb Nouman began working temporarily for NHS Highland while under investigation by industry watchdog the General Medical Council (GMC).
A week into his time at Caithness General Hospital he was suspended – but continued to work for another few weeks.
A hearing in front of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has now found all of the charges relating to Syrian-born Dr Nouman’s work at Caithness General Hospital proven.
When he started work in the Highlands he was already under investigation for making 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 several remarks he was found to have made, Dr Nouman said: “Indians should clean toilets, not practice medicine”.
He also told a GMC investigation officer: “You must understand that Indian doctors complain about me because I am rude”.
In relation to his work in the Highlands, Dr Nouman was found to have signed a declaration on May 13, 2013 stating he was not subject to fitness to practice proceedings.
He told the panel he was in a rush when he signed the sheet and had not read the information.
Dr Nouman was then suspended on an interim basis on May 20, 2013 but continued to work until June 5, 2013 when the employment services manager at Caithness General was notified by National Locum.
The doctor claimed to the MPTS hearing this was when he first discovered that his registration had been suspended.
The panel found that Dr Nouman subsequently went on to apply for another job with a locum agency claiming his suspension had been a mistake.
Having found the evidence against Dr Nouman proved, the panel will now move on to determining whether is fitness to practice is impaired.
In an earlier story, we told how Dr Nouman sent online messages to David Cameron and Barack Obama in relation to the case.