Nature of suspension
One of the most vexed areas of employment concerning healthcare professionals, including doctors, involves the suspension of a professional from his work. Following some alleged wrongdoing, a doctor may be suspended from duties for months, even years, while drawing full pay, plus any additional expenses to be met by his employers in hiring a locum tenens to cover for the suspended doctor. Not surprisingly, no one is happy with the arrangements involving suspensions but the practice continues.
In Mezey v South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust [2007] EWCA Civ 106 the claimant was a consultant psychiatrist. In a case now made notorious through recent publicity, a patient of hers suffering from paranoid schizophrenia had killed a retired banker who was bicycling through a park in south west London. Internal inquiries were held into the matter in addition to an external independent inquiry.
It is the intention of the doctor’s employers to initiate disciplinary proceedings against her later in the year. Meanwhile, the doctor has voluntarily undertaken not to engage in clinical duties but it has been agreed that
