A tribunal has told a consultant surgeon who lives and works in Brighton that “he must not carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone present”.
Jeremy Stuart Clark, 58, is bound by the restriction and a series of other conditions “for 15 months, subject to review”, according to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS).
The order was imposed by the MPTS Interim Orders Tribunal last week, published on the General Medical Council (GMC) register and reported by the BBC yesterday evening (Monday 27 April).
The Interim Orders Tribunal (IOT) makes decisions to “decide if a doctor’s practice should be restricted while an investigation takes place”, according to the MPTS.
The MPTS said: “Except in life-threatening emergencies, he must not carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone present.
“He must keep a log detailing every case where he has carried out a consultation with such a patient which must be signed by the chaperone.
“He must keep a log detailing every case where he has carried out a consultation with such a patient in a life-threatening emergency, without a chaperone present.
“He must give a copy of these logs to the IOT (Interim Orders Tribunal) at his next review hearing.”
The tribunal also said: “He should not directly communicate with patients outside the normal clinical setting unless required in a life-threatening or life-saving situation.”
Mr Clark is a general surgeon specialising in keyhole surgery at the Nuffield Brighton Hospital and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton.
According to his website: “I am one of Brighton’s most experienced consultant surgeons. I am a general surgeon and a specialist laparoscopic (keyhole) surgeon.
“I specialise in the treatment of colorectal diseases (bowel problems), hernias, gallstones, haemorrhoids and complex abdominal pain.”
The BBC reported University Hospitals Sussex as confirming that the General Medical Council (GMC) was investigating the conduct of a member of the trust’s staff.
The trust said: “We cannot publicly discuss details of any individual case but our actions are driven by the overriding need to keep patients safe from the risk of harm.”
The BBC reported Nuffield Health as saying: “We suspended the practising privileges of Mr Jeremy Clark while we carry out an investigation.
“While this is ongoing, you will understand that we are unable to comment further.”
The BBC added that Mr Clark had not responded to a request for a comment.
