Doc axed over incident that led to ops being cancelled

BY RORY CASSIDY share. Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard that Holt began arguing with Jennifer at the property in Irvine, Ayrshire, shouting and swearing at her and calling her foul names.

Holt went on trial over the allegations and, after Jennifer gave evidence, he admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause fear or alarm. He had been accused of assaulting Jennifer by seizing her by the neck but his plea of not guilty to this charge was accepted.

Neil McPherson, defending, said Holt had always accepted shouting and swearing at Jennifer. Sentence was deferred for reports.

In 2015, Holt – who is also chairman of the Scottish Hip Fracture Audit, which looks at the quality of care annually across all of Scotland’s acute hospitals – was convicted of assault to severe injury over an attack on a previous partner.

He was fined £2000 and ordered to pay £1500 in compensation.

Crawford McGuffie, medical director of NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: “Our commitment is to deliver safe, high quality patient care, and we have robust systems in place to ensure this is achieved.

“The individual in question has been excluded from NHS Ayrshire & Arran pending the conclusion of the legal process.

“In order to continue to provide a high quality service to our patients, we are filling this vacancy at University Hospital Crosshouse on a locum basis.

“The orthopaedic team from University Hospital Ayr is also supporting treatment of patients on the waiting lists affected. We are contacting patients whom this impacts to discuss available options.”

Holt was unavailable for comment.