A plastic surgeon operating on London's prestigious Harley Street has been suspended for 12 months after he performed liposuction procedures without the required registration and then pretended to be a patient when health inspectors arrived.
Surgeon's Deception Unravels During Inspection
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service heard that Dr Sayed Mia, who qualified in South Africa in 1999, was consulting with a patient at a private central London clinic on 14 November 2023 when four inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) arrived. The tribunal was told Dr Mia was observed heading to the lifts with a suitcase shortly after their introduction.
An inspector intercepted him, explaining the visit was prompted by public complaints to see if regulated activities were occurring at the address. When asked for his name, Dr Mia falsely identified himself as "Ahmed Munda". Witnesses described him pressing the lift buttons repeatedly and appearing nervous and eager to leave.
False Claims Exposed by Waiting Patient
Dr Mia told the inspector he was attending a meeting about a procedure and claimed he was a patient himself. This deception was swiftly undone when a young man waiting outside the consultation room interrupted, stating: "He's not a patient, he's a doctor I've come to see."
Confronted again, Dr Mia altered his story, admitting he was a doctor but claimed he was "a scientist, not a medical doctor" and had only worked at the clinic for that single day. The CQC later identified him through open-source research and made contact.
Admissions and Tribunal Findings
Dr Mia subsequently apologised for providing a fake name, telling investigators he believed they were from a former employer who had threatened him. He later admitted to the General Medical Council (GMC) that he had performed gynaecomastia procedures – male breast reduction surgery – without the necessary CQC registration and that his statements to inspectors were untrue.
The tribunal acknowledged his claimed fear but concluded his dishonesty "was not driven by any fear or intimidation by a previous employer but to ensure he was not implicated in a CQC investigation." It found he had "failed to act honestly and with integrity and showed a deliberate disregard for professional standards."
While stopping short of striking him off the medical register, the tribunal imposed a 12-month suspension, stating it was at the upper end of the suspension banding. The panel said this length properly reflected the seriousness of the misconduct, the high level of risk, and the need to maintain public confidence, while noting Dr Mia's limited steps towards insight.
