Britain's longest-suspended doctor has his name cleared

Apr 1 2009

By Sandish Shoker

COVENTRY heart specialist Raj Mattu has finally had his name cleared after a seven-year legal battle. The 49-year-old was suspended from the former Walsgrave Hospital in February 2002 following allegations he bullied junior doctors who worked with him in his research into heart problems. He was marched off the hospital premises and struck off for five and a half years, making him the longest-suspended doctor in NHS history. It came just six months after he exposed how patients had died in overcrowded bays. Following years of disputing and estimated costs of up to £5million, the cardiologist’s suspension was eventually lifted in April last year. His case involved a High Court challenge and was also raised in Parliament by Coventry MPs Geoffrey Robinson and Jim Cunningham and Warwick and Leamington MP James Plaskitt.   Last week the General Medical Council rejected all 150 complaints made against Dr Mattu by University Hospitals Coventry  and Warwickshire NHS Trust. Dr Mattu, who lives in Warwick with his fiancée Sangeeta Harish, suffered with stress-related illnesses through his suspension. He welcomed the verdict and the end of the “immeasurable stress” of having to defend himself. He now hopes to be fully reinstated and retrained to carry out his medical and research duties at University Hospital and Warwick University. A spokesman for the Dr Mattu Reinstatement Committee said: “We are delighted at the news that he has been completely exonerated on all allegations, and it does beg the questions as to how the trust was allowed to waste so much money on suspending him. “Having been resoundingly vindicated we hope that Dr Mattu will be able to rebuild his life and career at UHCW NHS Trust and Warwick University.” University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Trust (UHCW) declined to comment on the GMC’s decision or how much it had spent pursuing disciplinary action against Dr Mattu. A spokesman said: “We are unable to discuss Dr Mattu’s employment relationship with the Trust as this is a confidential matter. “The trust takes its responsibility as an employer seriously and always endeavours to act in the public’s best interests.”