Doctor struck off for self-prescribing and dishonesty

Dr Dolin Bhagawati, who previously worked as a senior clinical fellow in neurosurgery at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, has been removed from the medical register. The decision by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) followed findings that he had prescribed himself medication and requested blood tests inappropriately.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which brought the case, found that Dr Bhagawati had acted dishonestly. He was alleged to have prescribed himself medication on four occasions between June 2022 and November 2024, and to have ordered blood tests on two separate dates in 2024. Dr Bhagawati worked for the Trust from October 2018 until January 2025. The Trust runs hospitals including Charing Cross and St Mary's.

Attempts to conceal actions

Evidence presented to the tribunal indicated that Dr Bhagawati attempted to hide his actions. He is accused of using a temporary access card to enter the record of a past consultation on the Cerner database. He then attached the requests for medication and blood tests to this consultation, aiming to make it appear as though another clinician had made them. The use of a temporary card, rather than his own, meant his identity was not immediately apparent on the system for these requests.

Dr Bhagawati's account of events changed during the investigation. Initially, he claimed a colleague had made the requests. Later, he admitted responsibility in an email dated March 3, 2025, addressed to Associate Medical Director for Professional Practice and Head of Medical Professional Standards at the Trust. In this email, he stated: “After reading the summary [from a previous meeting], I would like to not put [Dr B] in a difficult position. Given this, I would like to change my previous statements and accept responsibility for ordering the tests and the scripts for a locum Cerner card.” He added that he was happy to self-refer to the GMC if the investigation led to that outcome.

Tribunal's findings and decision

The tribunal noted that clinicians typically use their own smartcards and found it unlikely a doctor would use a temporary card and attach requests under another consultant's name unless attempting to conceal their actions. The panel concluded that Dr Bhagawati had not only ordered the tests and medication himself but had subsequently acted dishonestly. He was also found to have failed to provide updated work details to the GMC despite repeated requests.

In its decision to remove Dr Bhagawati from the medical register, the MPTS stated that the findings of misconduct were serious and presented a high level of risk. The tribunal cited a lack of insight and remediation, along with concerns about a high risk of repetition, as reasons for the severe sanction. Dr Bhagawati had moved abroad and did not attend the tribunal hearing.