THOUSANDS have signed a petition calling for a doctor who lived and worked in Guernsey to be struck off after he was given a formal warning for a number of serious failings while working in the island.
Hundreds of allegations were made against Dr Ali Shokouh-Amiri, with some admitted – including removing the ovaries of two women without their consent, carrying out intimate examinations without a chaperone on multiple women, and failing to arrange treatment for another patient.
A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel found tens of other allegations made against him were not proven – and although he was given a formal warning for his conduct he has been allowed to continue practising medicine.
His proven “failings” occurred when he worked in Guernsey as the Medical Specialist Group’s consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist. He left the island in 2019 and has worked in Southend since 2022.
The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust which now employs him said it has “full confidence in his ability to provide safe, high-quality care to our patients”.
“We understand the strength of feeling about this case and want to reassure women that we always have safeguarding procedures and chaperoning in place, in all our clinics,” said Christine Blanshard, chief medical officer for the trust.
“Dr Shokouh-Amiri has undergone a full tribunal hearing regarding historical allegations from his time at another hospital. Following this process, the tribunal concluded that he remains fit to practise. He continues to work at Southend Hospital in accordance with the terms of his registration.”
The NHS trust confirmed to the JEP’s sister publication Bailiwick Express that some people had asked to change their consultant – which is a patient right under the “NHS choice framework”.
A petition which was launched by a woman living in Southend passed the 10,000-signature mark this morning – with thousands of comments from people expressing concerns over the MPTS decision.
Six women made more than 100 allegations against Dr Shokouh-Amiri between them, during his time working in Guernsey between 2016 and 2019.
The MPTS found the majority of the allegations were not proven, but said where failings had occurred they concerned “over-familiarity with patients, surgical issues, clinical errors and chaperones”.
One of the victims told Express that she felt “broken” and “let down” by the decisions made locally and in the UK, but was determined to fight for “justice”.
The MSG which employed him in Guernsey between 2016 and 2019 has apologised to the women involved.
