I am a trainee doctor. I believe that my employer discriminated against me because of my colour or race (British Pakistani) or sex when another white doctor at another hospital made a complaint about me relating to an incident that took place in my private time when I was not at work. I have brought a complaint to an employment tribunal for race and sex discrimination against the NHS Trust.

The significant contributions of Asian doctors, including myself, to British medicine must be recognised. Currently, around one-third of NHS doctors in England are non-UK nationals, with Pakistani doctors making up 3.3% of all full-time equivalent doctors, second only to Indian doctors

Ethnic minority doctors face disproportionate scrutiny; they are more likely to appear before the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) of the General Medical Council (GMC) compared to their white counterparts and more likely to be charged with an offence. It is essential to understand how racism impacts these complaints and the evaluation process, as this is crucial to addressing the inequalities in the system and advocating for justice in my case.

...more likely to appear before the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) of the General Medical Council (GMC) compared to their white counterparts and more likely to be charged with an offence.

My nephew, AB

My nephew (AB) was 15 years old when he was diagnosed with Lafora disease. Very little is still known about this disease, with a reported estimate of 4 cases per a million individuals across the globe. Lafora disease is a rare, autosomal recessive genetic disorder which results in a kind of epilepsy that involves sudden, brief muscle jerks and usually results in death several years after the onset of symptoms. AB was admitted to the hospital as an emergency patient in 2022 with a prolonged seizure 10 days after we found out about his diagnosis. I accompanied my nephew to the hospital as his carer.

I became AB’s carer in 2022 when he was 15. Since March 2024, AB has been living with me and is directly under my care. AB has struggled with accepting his diagnosis, and due to the bond we have, he relies on me to provide him with psychological and physical support. He struggles to accept that he needs assistance with equipment, like his commode, toilet frame, posture chair, and wheelchair. This means that I regularly must lift and carry him around.

After AB's diagnosis, I needed support. I researched Lafora Disease and discovered the Chelsea Hope Foundation in the U.S., where I reached out to Dr. Minassian, a leading expert on the disease. Through my network, I connected with a mother who had tragically lost all three of her children to Lafora Disease. She kindly agreed to meet with my family and shared invaluable information about the condition. She also prepared me for what to expect as the disease progressed and offered guidance on how to manage it. She shared two important insights from her experience that stuck with me.

1. First, she mentioned that in all three of her children, the prolonged seizures due to Lafora disease did not respond to some of the medications that are part of the standard seizure management protocol. 
2. Secondly, she emphasised the importance of investigating any underlying causes driving the seizures. In her case, the underlying reason for her children's seizures was often a chest infection.

Becoming A Doctor

2016, I qualified for my medical degree after 7 years of study. My A-level tutors told me I would never become a doctor, but I did not let this stop me. I do not come from an overly educated family. No one in my family has been to university, and the idea of me being a doctor seemed impossible. I did not initially consider medicine as an option when choosing my A-Levels.

Events Leading to My Discrimination Claim

On 11 March 2022, AB experienced a 17-minute seizure while staying with me, which led to him being taken to hospital. As his uncle, I was extremely worried. When I arrived at the hospital, I felt it was crucial to inform the medical staff that they were not dealing with epilepsy, a condition he had been misdiagnosed with several years earlier. I shared the two important information I had received from the mother in this situation, which I believed would help treat my nephew.

The A&E team and the clinician assessing AB disregarded my concerns, which increased my worry and frustration. I was left feeling upset at their dismissive attitude when I was simply trying to advocate for my nephew and ensure he received the best possible care.

On 24 March 2022, as I had finished drafting a letter of complaint against this treatment, I was notified that a complaint had been made against me by a white female doctor (I did not know her). I was told that the complaint had been sent to the police, the General Medical Council (GMC), and my employer.

On the night of the incident, when AB had a seizure, he was not my patient, and I was not his doctor; he was my nephew, and I was his uncle.

I was shocked when I was told about this complaint. I was suspended from work whilst an investigation was undertaken. I was off work for 8 months, and this caused a lot of stress and anxiety. I believe that doctors unequivocally deserve the right to have a private life and to experience natural human emotions without the constraints imposed by their profession. I don’t believe my employer had the right to investigate a dispute that I had with another doctor at another hospital in my private life. It is time to challenge the misguided belief that being a doctor equates to being on call 24/7, 365 days a year and that my employer can monitor every inch of my life outside work.

Doctors deserve the right to have a private life and to experience human emotions without the constraints of their profession.

My Race and Sex Discrimination Complaint

I am pursuing an employment tribunal claim for discrimination. I do not believe that my employer had any basis to investigate me and treat me as the potential perpetrator because of my race, colour, or because I am a male and the other doctor is female.

I need help to pay my legal fees. I am bringing a human rights complaint to an employment tribunal, which has not been done before. Jacqueline McGuigan represents me from TMP Solicitors, and Ben Uduje from 42BR. The hearing has been listed to conclude on 6-8 May 2025.