A skin cancer surgeon has been dismissed from his position after being found guilty of altering timesheets to claim payments for hours he did not work, even while on holiday. Dr. Uzair Irshad, 38, served as a locum dermatology consultant and was accused of fraudulent activities spanning nearly two years while employed at NHS trusts in Doncaster and Barnsley.
The Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal discovered that Irshad forged the signatures of two colleagues to substantiate his fraudulent claims. Investigations revealed that he manipulated timesheet records to falsely secure at least £48,000, although the exact amount has not been publicly disclosed.
Irshad’s dishonest practices came to light when a colleague raised concerns, leading to an investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, which then referred the case to the General Medical Council (GMC) for a misconduct hearing. By that time, Irshad had become a consultant at the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, based in Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham.
Initially registered with the GMC in 2014, Irshad admitted to 25 counts of dishonesty during the tribunal. GMC counsel Alan Taylor highlighted that Irshad’s actions were premeditated and indicative of a persistent pattern of fraudulent behavior, breaching the trust of his colleagues and the standards expected of medical practitioners.
Irshad attempted to justify his actions, claiming he had “lost control” amid personal issues and the early challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the tribunal was unconvinced, finding his lack of understanding regarding the impact of his misconduct troubling.
The tribunal’s chairman, Paul Moulder, confirmed the decision to strike Irshad off the medical register, stating that his behavior was fundamentally incompatible with continued practice as a medical professional. The tribunal emphasized the need to uphold public trust and professional standards, noting the serious nature of Irshad’s dishonesty and its potential consequences for the NHS and its patients.