NHS sacks shamed consultant

[bongme]

hi

Martin Wainwright

Saturday April 6, 2002

The Guardian

A gynaecologist convicted a month ago of indecently assaulting patients has been sacked from his £1,000-a-week NHS post.

Leeds teaching hospitals trust announced yesterday that Paul Vinall, 55, had been dismissed after a disciplinary hearing. The father of three was found guilty on March 8 of two indecent assaults after strenuously denying the allegations during a five-week trial in Sheffield. He was told by Mr Justice Crane that his career had ended in "humiliation and shame".

The convictions, both relating to women who saw Vinall privately at his consulting rooms in north Leeds, carried an automatic removal from the medical register, but NHS procedures meant he remained employed for a further four weeks.

The trust's managers were praised in court for their determination to bring the allegations to trial, but said afterward that the consultant had the right to a disciplinary hearing; last night a trust spokesman added that he also had the right of appeal against the dismissal decision.

An 18-month prison sentence was suspended by the court for two years, because of Vinall's ill health.

Bongme