British Eventing's Regular On Duty Doctor Struck Off

Eddy Phipps said:
No unfortunately not! - I've been completely ignored by Borde Hill. BE made it very clear that it is the organisers responsibility to ensure that the right medical cover is in place, but I've been unable to make contact with them!

My major concern is for safety in a high risk sport, but it would appear that reputation is more important.
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If was an affiliated BE event it looks like you should have some recourse on BE insurance,

What do I have to insure?

As soon as your event is affiliated, BE insurance covers those working on the course against personal accident, and during the event it covers all your helpers and officials against accident and the event organisers against public liability. The insurance you have to think about is what cover you want if the event is cancelled. BE automatically reimburses the money you must refund to the competitors but you may wish to cover your expenditure on tentage, loos, catering, trophies etc.

You need good legal advice.
 
I agree with Red-1
I don't agree with culture of suing in general but actually the law exists to hold people/organisations accountable and in these sorts of situations seems justified.
 
honetpot said:
If was an affiliated BE event it looks like you should have some recourse on BE insurance,

What do I have to insure?

As soon as your event is affiliated, BE insurance covers those working on the course against personal accident, and during the event it covers all your helpers and officials against accident and the event organisers against public liability. The insurance you have to think about is what cover you want if the event is cancelled. BE automatically reimburses the money you must refund to the competitors but you may wish to cover your expenditure on tentage, loos, catering, trophies etc.

You need good legal advice.
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Indeed BE cover all volunteers and helpers for negligence claims . One reason they no longer accept fence judges over 75 as they cannot cover them. OP needs to go to BE using their own insurance cover as a member and let them deal with it . I wouldnt be talking to much on here as it could ultimately damage your claim by doing so. I think you should go and get legal advice which can be provided by BEs insurance do it properly as bad mouthing people on here will not get any recompense and mostly they are volunteers creating sport for riders, sadly one day soon there wont be any as people stop organising events. The organisers have been duped as much as you have ,I would not expect them to reply to your claims their insurers will not let them., OP what do you hope to gain by raising it on the forum rather than through the proper channels?
 
My major concern is for safety. I don't want anyone to go through what I have and while I fully appreciate that the organisers wouldn't have hired an unlicensed doctor deliberately, all organisers need to be aware of how easy it is to check a doctors status.
 
honetpot said:
Its very simple to check whether someone is a registered nurse,
https://www.nmc.org.uk/registration/search-the-register/

And also a doctor,
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration...to-the-medical-register/find-a-doctors-record
This is a basic check and would be part of their insurance requirements for H&S I would imagine for an event at that level. I can not imagine why it would not be done any way. If they are obtaining insurance under a group insurance there would be clear guidelines in place.
I have no do not know how doctors obtain insurance to practice out of the NHS, your liability is usually covered by your employer. I had to increase mine when I worked for a private company and theirs did not provide enough cover for professional liability.
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Doctors working outside NHS have to have personal Insurance which is available via Medical Defence Union or Medical Protection Society.
 
Totally agree, I undertook my own investigation into Doctor Charitou and on the 21st June 2016 when I discovered that he did not hold a license to practice medicine in the UK and hadn't for 15 months, I reported him immediately (verbally and in writing) to both the GMC and BE. The GMC took immediate action, however at that time BE had absolutely no idea that he wasn't licensed. This whole process is clearly and very well documented.

What is also a shame is the BE never felt it appropriate to offer any support during a very difficult time.
 
Velcrobum said:
What I find particularly unpleasant is that David Holmes claims that BE reported him to the GMC when it was the OP that did it.
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I think thats a little bit unfair as indeed BE may have told the GMC as soon as they became aware. BE could easily have reported him as had the OP , I would find it unpleasant if they hadn't as soon as they were made aware but I dont see any evidence thats the case.
 
popsdosh said:
I think thats a little bit unfair as indeed BE may have told the GMC as soon as they became aware. BE could easily have reported him as had the OP , I would find it unpleasant if they hadn't as soon as they were made aware but I dont see any evidence thats the case.
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Not unfair- statement of fact. See the OP's response that is the post prior to yours for verification.
 
popsdosh said:
I think thats a little bit unfair as indeed BE may have told the GMC as soon as they became aware. BE could easily have reported him as had the OP , I would find it unpleasant if they hadn't as soon as they were made aware but I dont see any evidence thats the case.
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Just for clarification. AFTER I advised the GMC and BE of my findings, Doctor Charitou was still down to officiate at Farley Hall (fortunately it was cancelled due to rain in 2016) and Tweseldown at the beginning of July. I was so concerned that he was still being used that I contacted the GMC again and asked if they would kindly contact BE to advise that the wasn't licensed (which I had done on the 21st June). BE informed the organisers of Tweseldown 2 days before the event not to use him.

BE also advised at the end of June that they were carrying out their own thorough investigation, but at present had no reason to stop using him.

The above is all well documented.

Safety is so important in a high risk sport and it is really important to be transparent. To check a doctor's status is really straight forward and if there is any doubt the GMC are easily contactable by phone and are really helpful.
 
Having recently see the full report from the MPTS it was shocking to see that British Eventing raised a query to Doctor Charitou in 2015 as to his status. On the 6th October 2015 (over 7 months prior to my fall at Borde Hill) they received reassurances from Charitou that he held a license to practice (which was untrue) but BE took his word and never check his qualification to practice until after I raised concerns following my medical treatment.

Charitou attended as a medical officer in 2016 alone at the following events, Aston le Walls 1, Swalcliffe, Munstead, Goring Heath, Whitfield, Morton Morrell, Aston Le Walls 2. Borde Hill, BCA and Rackham without a licence and without insurance. By not following up on their query BE have potentially put their members welfare at risk.
 
Once the question had been asked, you have to wonder why Dr Charitou was so attracted to work at BE events? Is Dr Charitou a rider? You would have thought he/she would simply become unavailable once they knew people were asking questions.

Not that I disbelieve you in the slightest, it is just a strange attraction to work at a BE event when not licenced to do so, and knowing that people are asking questions. Strange how people's minds work.
 
I would imagine that he work at BE events through word of mouth and would assume that when was first engaged his qualifications were possibly checked, however he was able to continue without his credentials being varified with the GMC on a regular basis. It is really straight forward to check any doctor's status on the GMC website and all organisers need to be aware of this. It would be seemingly poor practice for any organisation to accept an individual's word that he holds the correct qualifications in a high risk sport.
 
Found out some more about him he was/is associated with a firm which provides paramedic and ambulance cover at quite a few BE events hence him being duty Doctor at all the events listed in an earlier post.


Found this:

www.navigant.com/professionals/c/charitou-alexandros

Not entirely sure all those claims are correct and if he had been moonlighting with this company it could possibly be why his license to practice was revoked.
 
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