Former Lincoln Hospital doctor stripped of medical licence for misconduct

A doctor who worked at Lincoln Hospital has been erased from the medical register after a hearing into his inadequate care found his professional conduct was “impaired.”

Dr Mohamed El-Sakka was found to have prematurely discharged a patient who died three days later.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) conducted the latest hearing between July 31 and August 24, 2023, and concluded that Dr Mohamed El-Sakka’s professional conduct was significantly lacking.

The Tribunal found multiple instances of dishonesty, including the fraudulent amendment of a separate patient’s medical records.

With this erasure, Dr El-Sakka will no longer be able to practise medicine, marking the end of a career marred by multiple instances of misconduct and inadequate care.

The decision to erase him from the medical register was based on a comprehensive evaluation of his professional conduct, including his past actions and the severity of the allegations against him.

The hearing specifically related to four patients, referred to as Patients A to D, who were under Dr El-Sakka’s care between July and November 2018.

Alexander Perron, who died age 34 in October 2018, was identified as Patient A.

Perron was discharged from Lincoln County Hospital by Dr El-Sakka, only to die at home three days later. The inquest into Perron’s death concluded in 2020 that his death was due to natural causes contributed to by neglect.

The Tribunal found that Dr El-Sakka provided inadequate care to these patients, further damaging his professional reputation and leading to the ultimate decision of erasure.

Aggravating factors were also highlighted by the Tribunal.

“Rather than attempting to cover up his mistake, he should have owned up to it and endeavoured to address it,” the Tribunal said, referring to the amendment of the medical record during his Practitioner Remediation programme.

The Tribunal found that these actions were not isolated incidents but part of a pattern of behaviour that was deeply concerning.

“This is not the first time that Dr El-Sakka has engaged in dishonest conduct within a clinical setting,” the Tribunal noted.

In a previous case, Dr El-Sakka had used forged signatures on prescriptions.

These findings were part of the Tribunal’s decision to erase him from the medical register, stating that his attempts at remediation have “failed in the past.”

The Tribunal also scrutinised Dr El-Sakka’s consultation with a patient identified as “Patient E.”

The doctor had disassociated himself from a medico-legal report prepared by another individual, Mr G.

However, the Tribunal decided to consider the case based on Dr El-Sakka’s own completed questionnaire.

“Dr El-Sakka conducted a rushed and inappropriate neck examination,” the Tribunal stated, adding that his approach demonstrated “a lack of interest in what Patient E had to say.”

The United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust has been contacted for comment.

Previous Scrutiny and Inquest

Dr El-Sakka had been under scrutiny before.

In 2013, he was suspended from practising for nine months after stealing two prescriptions for his own use while working in A&E at a hospital in Dartford.

He forged doctors’ signatures on the prescriptions and presented them at pharmacies in Essex and east London.

The senior coroner for Lincolnshire, Timothy Brennand, said during an inquest into Mr Perron’s death: “The evidence established the incident to be entirely preventable.

“Alexander should not have been discharged.

“It was predictable that his condition would deteriorate.”

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust runs Lincoln Hospital.

A spokesperson said: “Unfortunately we’re unable to comment on individual cases, but our thoughts are with the patients and families affected.

“As a trust we have robust procedures and systems in place to for staff to raise any concerns about patient care, and take appropriate actions such as referring to regulatory bodies when we believe investigation is required.”