Former LGI doctor can return to duties

A FORMER Leeds General Infirmary children’s doctor caught taking cocaine before an on-call shift has been given approval to return to medical work.

Consultant paediatric neurologist Colin Ferrie resigned from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust after being exposed in a national newspaper sting in 2015.

And, last October, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) imposed a four-month suspension on him.

But now, following a review hearing, the MPTS has decided that Dr Ferrie’s fitness to practise is no longer “impaired”.

Any return to medical work will, however, be subject to a number of conditions for a period of 12 months.

They include a requirement to notify the General Medical Council with details of any post he accepts.

In a determination addressed to Dr Ferrie, MPTS tribunal chair Dr Liz Ball, said: “In all of the circumstances, the tribunal determined that your fitness to practise is no longer impaired by reason of misconduct.”

Dr Ball also told Dr Ferrie: “You stated that, with regard to misconduct, you hope that the tribunal will note that the incident was over two years ago.

“Further, you stated that you considered that the underlying reasons related to your difficulties in accepting your sexuality but that you had now addressed the issue.”

Dr Ferrie was regarded as one of the country’s leading experts on childhood epilepsy and had practised in Leeds for 20 years before the scandal.

He was given a conditional discharge by magistrates in Leeds after pleading guilty to possession of a class A drug following the newspaper sting. The court was told that since the incident he had sought help for substance abuse.