Indian-origin cancer specialist banned from practising in UK says, 'I will never work in that country again'

An Indian-origin cancer specialist has been struck off the UK medical register after a tribunal ruled that his criminal conviction made him a risk to the public, meaning he can no longer practise medicine in the UK, a sanction more severe than simply being dismissed from his job.

Shamir Chandran, an oncologist who previously worked at a Newcastle hospital, was sentenced in November to four years in prison after being convicted of two counts of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of cruelty to a person under 16.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has now ordered that his name be erased from the medical register, according to BBC.

According to BBC, Chandran did not attend either his criminal trial at Carlisle Crown Court or the disciplinary proceedings. The report stated that he had fled the UK and that there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Cumbria Police confirmed he is wanted.

The tribunal described the offences as serious and said the behaviour involved repeated actions against vulnerable individuals.

“It was directed towards people who were vulnerable and involved elements of premeditation - seeking financial gain from [his victim] through intimidation,” the report said.

The MPTS also found that Chandran had shown no understanding of the seriousness of his actions or their impact: "The tribunal considered that there was a real risk of him harming someone in the future.”

The tribunal said allowing him to continue practising medicine would seriously damage public confidence in the profession.

Emails included in the tribunal documents showed Chandran criticised the way he was treated in Britain and said his medical career had been ruined.

“I don't care anymore about the proceedings, as my career has already been destroyed,” he wrote to the General Medical Council (GMC).

“I am utterly disgusted with the way I have been treated in the UK and I will never work in that country again. They treated me like a common criminal without giving any regard to what I had to say and the impact of what they were doing.”

The tribunal documents also revealed that Chandran had resigned from his NHS role and left UK after the GMC action against him.

“Due to the GMC action, I had to resign (from) my job and leave the UK. I don't know how I can help with these proceedings now, as I am not working at present,” he said in another email.

Chandran earned his MBBS degree from the University of Calicut Academy of Medical Sciences in Pariyaram, Kerala. He later told the GMC that he no longer wished to continue practising oncology and had started working with a friend in a private business while rebuilding his life.

However, the tribunal said there was no evidence that he had accepted responsibility or taken steps to address his conduct.