GOC finds DO’s fitness to practise not impaired

A GOC fitness to practise hearing for dispensing optician Rupesh Patel has taken place and found that his fitness to practise is not impaired.

Patel, a dispensing optician, had to attend the hearing due to a complaint made about his behaviour that took place in 2016, which included washing, displaying and keeping a pair of underwear belonging to a female colleague, as well as sending her an excessive number of texts.

As a result, Patel has resigned from his position on the ABDO board and a chartered occupational psychologist has set out a personal development plan for him, in which he has agreed to adopt a ‘stop, listen and think’ strategy, it was heard.