More than 100 doctors who had been banned from practising in one European Union country have been able to work in the United Kingdom, exploiting a Brexit-related loophole in information sharing, according to an investigation by The Times. Following the probe, 11 doctors have been suspended from working in the UK.
Brexit Information Gap Exploited
The UK's departure from the EU has removed it from the Internal Market Information (IMI) system, a database that allows European regulators to share disciplinary actions against medical professionals. While the UK continues to share such data with the bloc, it no longer receives automatic updates. For example, William Okanga-Ajwang, 64, had his right to practise stripped by the Poznan Chamber of Physicians in Poland in January 2021. The IMI system was notified, but the UK's General Medical Council (GMC) was not, allowing him to continue working in Britain.
In another case, a doctor struck off in France was able to retain his UK licence. The GMC has adopted a more lenient approach compared to EU regulators, allowing overseas-qualified physicians to register even if they declare past malpractice.
Political and Public Concerns
Former health minister Nadine Dorries told GB News: "The EU is withholding information about dangerous doctors and letting them waltz into the NHS – that is punishment. Patients in this country have no idea the doctor standing over them may have been struck off in Europe. This concerns people's health, it should not be political. The GMC cannot keep burying its head in the sand over this."
Tory MP Greg Stafford urged GMC CEO Charlie Massey to act, stating: "I do accept this is difficult stuff, but The Times managed it. If they can manage it, it shouldn't be beyond the wit of the medical regulator to manage it." He added: "The UK continues to provide disciplinary data to European regulators, while receiving nothing in return. That imbalance is hard to justify and harder still to defend. Labour needs to get a grip on this issue. Where a straightforward fix exists to close a known loophole in medical regulation, it should not be left unresolved."
Specific Cases and GMC Response
One doctor who initially failed to declare a suspension over sexual harassment in the workplace was later granted a UK licence on a second attempt. Two other doctors received licences despite having examination misconduct on their records and a sanction for a missed diagnosis. The GMC acknowledged that losing access to the IMI system after Brexit has made it more difficult to build a full picture of a doctor's background. It stated that it carefully reviews any concerns flagged by overseas regulators before deciding whether a doctor can join or stay on the UK medical register.
