Doctor convicted of fraud barred from returning

Dr Collen Nkomo will now have to wait 12 months before he can reapply for consideration

A children's doctor who lied to avoid paying more than £40,000 in maintenance has been blocked from a return to practising.

Dr Collen Nkomo, who worked as a locum GP and did shifts at Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool, was struck off the medical register in 2018 after concealing fraud and drink driving convictions.

A tribunal at the time heard how Dr Nkomo, who lived in Altrincham, had lied to the Child Support Agency, falsely claiming that he was not properly working in the UK.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service rejected his return to the profession, saying that while Dr Nkomo had shown remorse and taken responsibility, his skills may have declined to an extent patients would be at risk.

'Patients at risk'

Dr Nkomo was given a 20-month suspended jail sentence for fraud in 2017 but failed to notify the General Medical Council (GMC) of this.

Dr Nkomo also failed to notify the GMC that he had admitted to drink-driving, driving without a licence and his failing to cooperate with a preliminary breath test in 2015.

After being struck off, his attempt to appeal the tribunal's decision to the High Court was also dismissed.

In another attempt to be added back to the register last month, the doctor told a hearing that his actions were "despicable, crass and a result of foolishness and bad judgment".

According to Dr Nkomo, he had been trying to keep up with his medical skills by completing a Master's degree in drug design.

The panel heard that the doctor had "regularly watched the television documentary series 'GPs Behind Closed Doors' in order to keep abreast of current issues and procedures".

Dr Nkomo also submitted that he had examined friends and relatives who had complaints, that this was done with their consent and they were always told not to rely on his diagnosis but to see an NHS doctor.

Dr Nkomo pointed out that the offences occurred over a decade ago and said that he had not committed any other offences since that "difficult period".

The MPTS noted that Dr Nkomo had developed good insight and fully accepted responsibility for his actions. They also found that he had "made definite steps towards remediation of his misconduct" and that he had demonstrated remorse.

However, the panel cited concerns that Dr Nkomo's skills may have deteriorated during his time away from clinical practice, which could place "patients at risk of harm".

He must now wait another 12 months before he can reapply for consideration.

Corrections 10 November 2025: The headline has been changed to reflect that Dr Nkomo was convicted of fraud, not jailed for fraud. This article originally set out, in error, reasons put by the GMC's counsel for Dr Nkomo's not to be restored to the medical register, as having been conclusions made by the tribunal's panel. The panel had in fact found the opposite – that Dr Nkomo had developed insight into the actions that led to him being struck off, accepted responsibility and has made steps to remedy those actions. We apologise for these errors.