Doctor faces tribunal for making Muslim woman remove her hijab

A doctor working in South Derbyshire, United Kingdom is facing allegations that he inappropriately asked a Muslim woman to remove her veil. Dr Keith Wolverson also repeatedly criticised the English speaking skills of 15 patients in their medical notes from January to April 2018, it is alleged. He was alleged to have asked and caused […]

A doctor working in South Derbyshire, United Kingdom is facing allegations that he inappropriately asked a Muslim woman to remove her veil.

Dr Keith Wolverson also repeatedly criticised the English speaking skills of 15 patients in their medical notes from January to April 2018, it is alleged.

He was alleged to have asked and caused a woman to remove her veil in May 2018.

Now the doctor is subject of a tribunal to decide whether he can continue as a medical professional, with the Medical Practitioner Tribunal Service (MPTS) investigating claims that he made comments about the language skills of other patients, was dishonest about how he cared for those in hospital, and failed to safeguard a seven-month old baby who was a patient, among other complaints.

The tribunal is set to conclude March 4.

The General Medical Council has no specific guidelines on how to examine women wearing full-face veils, reports DerbyshireLive.

The MPTS website, which lists tribunals across the United Kingdom, said: “The tribunal will inquire into the allegation that, on one or more occasions between January and April 2018, Dr Wolverson recorded inappropriate comments about English language skills in the medical records of several patients.

“It is also alleged that, on 22 March, 2018, he failed to take appropriate steps to safeguard a child and failed to record his actions relating to that child.

“It is alleged that on 13 May 2018, Dr Wolverson caused a patient to remove her veil, spoke to her in a hostile and/or intimidating manner and refused to communicate with her husband.

“During an interview about the matters set out above, it is alleged that Dr Wolverson made further inappropriate comments about patients and provided false information about his actions.”

But in an interview in 2019, Dr Wolverson told the Daily Mail that he asked the patient to remove her veil “in the same way I’d ask a motorcyclist to remove a crash helmet” and added that even if he was permitted to return to the NHS, he would be unlikely to do so. (Staffordshire Live)