Doctor worked at Wrexham Maelor hospital while off sick at another
- Published
Dr Joao Muel said he was unfit to work at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny but worked at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, a tribunal hears
A consultant said he was unfit to work at one hospital while doing shifts at others, a tribunal has heard.
Dr Joao Muel is facing 13 charges of dishonest actions between June 2019 and April 2019 including failing to provide good clinical care to two patients.
The allegations against the obstetrician includes failing to deliver a baby that was in foetal distress within the mandated timeframe.
Dr Muel denies some of the charges and the 10-day tribunal continues.
The consultant was working as a locum doctor in obstetrics and gynaecology at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, when he told the health board he was too sick to work due to diabetes, the hearing was told.
But while on full sick pay, he worked shifts, booked through locum agencies, at Wrexham Maelor and Barnsley hospitals - an allegation he does not dispute.
'Shocked and taken aback'
Dr Muel told a colleague at Wrexham Maelor Hospital that he was working there while off sick with another health board
A 10-day tribunal brought by the General Medical Council (GMC) was told Dr Muel admited working the shifts, but claimed he did not realise it was dishonest.
Dr Kalpana Upadhyay, the clinical lead of the obstetrics and gynaecology department at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, said Dr Muel asked her not to divulge to another doctor that he had been working in Wrexham in August 2018 "because he'd been on sick leave at Nevill Hall".
Dr Upadhyay said: "I was shocked and completely taken aback when he told this to me - he shouldn't be working at another hospital when on sick leave from his parent hospital."
The tribunal will also hear claims Dr Muel failed to provide good clinical care to two patients, on 9 June 2018 and on 11 August 2018, which he has admitted.
Dr Muel claims he was under stress at the time during a difficult delivery.
His locum shifts at Wrexham came to light as a result of one of those allegations.
The tribunal continues.