Tribunal told eye surgeon let ‘unqualified’ people perform operations

AN EYE SURGEON who has treated Olympic athletes is facing a medical tribunal for allowing untrained individuals to conduct laser eye surgery on patients.

Dr Prashant Jindal, whose patients include celebrities such as the late cricketer Shane Warne (right), allowed the owner of high-street chain AccuVision and his son to conduct surgery without training. Neither Daryus Panthakey or his son Johann were qualified as doctors or surgeons. However, the tribunal heard Jindal completed the records as if he had performed the surgery on the patients.

One of Jindal’s patients, Greg Brady, was set to become a professional boxer when he had laser eye surgery. He is now pursuing a civil claim against AccuVision for damage to his eye.

The General Medical Council (GMC) alleges that Jindal is unfit to practice due to misconduct. Its representative, Terence Rigby, said in his opening statement at the hearing in Manchester last week: “Neither of them were medically qualified in the sense they were not doctors or surgeons, but it is alleged by the GMC that they respectively carried out laser eye surgery on patient A and patient B. In both cases, Dr Jindal completed the relevant forms and records as though he had consulted the patients and performed the surgery.”

Patient A, a Switzerland-based British ski instructor, told the tribunal he was unaware that Panthakey was unqualified. He said the AccuVision owner was introduced to him as the surgeon, describing Panthakey as a “dominant” character. “There was no confusing who was in charge,” he said.

The tribunal heard that patient A was in a dispute with AccuVision about being overcharged and misdiagnosed following his “partially successful” surgery. After posting a review online, he was approached by a journalist investigating the company, which is when he found out that Panthakey was unqualified.

“[Jindal had] absolutely no involvement in what was going on with my eyes. I was shocked when I saw on my record that he was the surgeon,” he said.

Patient B’s surgery was carried out by Johann in London, and part of his statement was read out ahead of him giving evidence. “My medical notes showed Prashant Jindal was my operating surgeon. I categorically dispute this because at no time had I ever met him. Not before, during or after my surgery,” he said.

The tribunal heard Jindal had been on holiday at the time of the surgery and patient B had “suffered as a result of the treatment.”

Andrew Colman, who is representing Jindal, accused both patients of getting it wrong, saying that his client had performed both operations.

The tribunal began its hearing last Wednesday (25) and will continue until next Friday (10).