Unregistered optometrist fined £2.5k

Wolverhampton optometrist Samir Patel has been found guilty of misconduct and has been fined £2,500 at a GOC fitness to practise committee hearing which took place on March 23 in London.

The inquiry was based on the allegation submitted by the Council that Patel's fitness to practise was impaired by virtue of the provisions contained in section 13D (2) of the Opticians Act 1989.

During the hearing it emerged that Patel had been removed from the Opticians Register on August 16 2005 for not providing evidence of insurance. On September 20 2005 a letter was sent to Patel from Wolverhampton City PCT informing him that the PCT had been notified that his name had been removed from the GOC's register and therefore his name had also been removed from the PCT's contractor ophthalmic list.