A podiatrist has been struck off the professional register after being found to have acted aggressively and disrespectfully toward a 13-year-old girl during an appointment for a verrucae. Gary Denby also provided the girl with "inappropriate" dietary advice and told her to remove her face mask during the consultation on July 28, 2021.
The Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service (HCPTS) ruled that Denby created an "obvious risk of harm" to the "nervous" patient and her mother. The tribunal heard that Denby told the teenager, "Take your mask off and answer my question or I won't be able to treat you." He was not wearing a mask himself at the time, contrary to health guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Denby, who previously served as a Ukip councillor and ran the Foot Wise Podiatry clinic in Woodford Halse, Northamptonshire, for over two decades, insisted he was subjected to an "unjust or malicious" accusation. He described the hearing as a "complete waste of my time" and stated he had retired and did not intend to return to work.
In notes from the appointment, Denby wrote that the patient was "too nervous to treat or answer questions, which might gain buy-in to an improved diet and an immune response" and "Would not remove mask (hiding?), became tearful." He added, "Unable to gain informed consent. Too nervous to treat with cryotherapy. Mother removed daughter from surgery."
Following the appointment, Denby emailed the girl's mother, stating her daughter needed to eat her "five-a-day" and advising on a diet that included "25% fruit & green vegetables for immunity; 25% dairy for height, bone density and growth; 25% animal protein for muscle development." He also suggested ways for the mother to encourage her daughter to try new foods. The tribunal described this dietary advice as "unnecessary and erroneous."
The girl's mother had previously complained about Denby's "unusually aggressive and disrespectful attitude," alleging he "did not give any attention to her feet choosing to bombard her with questions and berating her." When the mother answered a question on her daughter's behalf, Denby reportedly said to the patient, "You said that without opening your mouth!"
The tribunal concluded that Denby's conduct crossed the misconduct threshold. In a separate email to the HCPTS shortly before the hearing, Denby referred to the mother as an "impatient mother." The HCPTS found that he had "not developed the degree of understanding that would be needed for there to be confidence that he would not repeat behaviour of the type that has been found against him." The ruling to strike him off was deemed "proportionate."