A radiographer has been suspended from the HCPC Register for nine months after being found to have contacted a patient in an inappropriate manner.
A panel of the HCPC Conduct and Competence Committee heard that whilst working at the James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Mr Kalpesh Ellis breached confidentiality by obtaining a patient’s contact details from a hospital database without a work-related reason.
The Panel heard how he proceeded to contact the patient without professional justification by telephone and using Whatsapp.
Mr Ellis was handed a nine month suspension order and interim suspension to cover the appeal period, effective from 3 February 2016.
Panel Chair Mrs Polly Clarke commented:
“In the Panel’s judgment these were serious breaches of professional standards – in particular the duty to respect and maintain the confidentiality of service users – and constitute misconduct.
“Given these breaches by the Registrant, public confidence in the profession would be undermined if a finding of current impairment were not made in this case.”
Mr Ellis was not present but was represented at the hearing.