Doctor Struck Off Medical Register for Lying About Demotion and Failing Life Support Course

A doctor has been removed from the medical register after a tribunal determined she misled employers about a demotion and her failure to complete a critical life support course. Dr. Surrayya Najeeb's actions were found to be persistently and premeditatedly dishonest, leading to a determination that she posed a high risk to patient safety.

Dr. Najeeb worked as a locum consultant at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals between June 2021 and February 2023. During her tenure, staff raised concerns about her professional abilities and conduct. Hospital management informed her of these concerns before she was moved to a registrar role. However, when she subsequently applied for a consultant position at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King's Lynn, Norfolk, she did not disclose this demotion or the prior concerns.

Further complicating her professional record, Dr. Najeeb failed an advanced cardiovascular life support course just two days before her interview for the consultant role at QEH. She also neglected to inform QEH management of this failure. Her employment at QEH lasted from March 2023 to February 2024.

A General Medical Council performance assessment in August 2024 highlighted significant concerns regarding her patient assessments and clinical management, deeming them "unacceptable." The assessment also noted issues with her patient interactions and ability to collaborate with colleagues.

Dr. Najeeb, who qualified as a doctor in Pakistan in 1985, did not attend the tribunal hearing or provide representation. The tribunal report detailed instances of her substandard performance. In one case involving a critically ill patient, she reportedly failed to recognize crucial clinical indicators and did not adhere to emergency assessment protocols, potentially endangering the patient's life. In another instance concerning a patient in their final days, Dr. Najeeb proposed a "full MRI spine" scan for back pain, despite the patient's palliative care status. She also misdiagnosed a pregnant woman suspected of having a pulmonary embolism, investigating her for sinusitis and suggesting a sinus X-ray.

Her management at Blackpool had previously advised her that she "quite often you request a lot of tests… that the patient doesn't need."

The medical practitioners tribunal concluded that Dr. Najeeb's fitness to practice was impaired due to both misconduct and deficient professional performance. Given her lack of insight into her actions and no evidence of corrective measures, the panel assessed a high risk of her repeating mistakes. The tribunal stated that allowing her to remain on the medical register would pose a significant risk to public protection and undermine patient safety.