A student optometrist who submitted false records in his competency assessments has received a three-year warning from the General Optical Council that he must adhere to the highest standards of probity and record keeping.
The fitness to practise committee said it had no doubt that Kuldeep Singh Kandola's dishonesty made him guilty of misconduct, having submitted 10 separate groups of false evidence of his experience with patients for his first and second quarter assessments.
The GOC findings stated that this was an unusual case as Kandola appeared to be highly competent and had the skills and practical experience to satisfy the competencies, which have been fully met.
'The committee has concluded that Mr Kandola's deception was not motivated by greed or any sinister motive. It was brought about by disorganisation, inefficiency and pressure which led him to panic when he realised that he had not got his genuine records in order for assessments.'
The findings added that his employers were fully aware of the misconduct but nevertheless wish to employ him as a full-time optometrist should he achieve registration.
The panel described his evidence as 'frank and open', concluding that the conduct was out of character.
Normally a finding of dishonesty would lead to a finding of impairment, but this was a borderline case, and the panel concluded that Kandola's fitness to undertake training was not impaired.