Judge blasts doctor over holiday illness evidence
A DOCTOR is facing investigation after a judge said he provided ‘appallingly inadequate’ evidence to support a family’s bogus holiday sickness compensation claim.
Dr Vikesh Kashyap, who has given evidence in about 800 holiday sickness claims, has been reported to the General Medical Council after his reports were slammed as ‘formulaic, superficial… and unhelpful’ by a judge.
The doctor, who runs a cosmetic laser clinic, charged £ 1,920 to carry out four ‘telephone consultations’ with members of a family who falsely claimed they suffered diarrhoea on an allinclusive package holiday, yet he never actually met them, a court heard.
At Liverpool county court, Judge Peter Gregory was scathing of the doctor – who is thought to have earned hundreds of thousands of pounds preparing holiday illness reports. He said: ‘I found his substantive reports in relation to each of the four claimants to be formulaic, superficial, lacking in substance, devoid of expert analysis and frankly, unhelpful. They were appallingly inadequate reports.’ Judge Gregory rejected the family’s claim, who said they fell ill from food poisoning during a Tui holiday in 2015/16 in Tenerife. Asked if he was an expert in gastroenterology, Dr Kashyap said he had not undertaken a gastroenterology ‘stint’, but that his 12- month spell in accident and emergency medicine 15 years ago provided him with the relevant background. The 43-year-old doctor from Blackpool, Lancs, told the court he was registered with medical reporting firm MedCo. The Mail on Sunday has previously exposed the 434 per cent increase in British tourists making claims for sickness.
Nick Longman, managing director Tui UK & Ireland: said ‘We welcome this latest judgment. What’s particularly interesting about this case is the judge’s comments about the supporting medical evidence and criticism for the report author Dr Kashyap. We have followed this up by submitting a complaint to the General Medical Council about his conduct.’
In the past, doctors who have been found to have given evidence outside their area of expertise have been struck off. MedCo chairman Martin Heskins said: ‘ We will be considering what, if any, action should be taken in relation to this individual and will support the GMC… in any investigation.’
Dr Kashyap said: ‘I am aware of the judgment on this case, have noted the comments that have been made and will consider and reflect on these.’