Dr Michael Watt: Neurologist's patients have 'lost hope of justice'

Dr Michael Watt is at the centre of Northern Ireland's biggest patient recall

A former patient of neurologist Dr Michael Watt says she has "lost hope of justice" after the consultant's request to be removed from the medical register was approved.

The move by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) means a full public tribunal into the allegations against him will now not be heard.

Dr Watt's work and its oversight is subject to three ongoing inquiries.

Jean Garland said she found it absolutely devastating.

Concerns over Dr Watt's clinical practice at the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust prompted the biggest ever patient recall in Northern Ireland.

The decision to allow Dr Watt's voluntary removal - which prevents him from practising medicine in the UK - prompted the General Medical Council (GMC), a separate organisation which had referred the matter to the tribunal, to say it was "extremely disappointed".

The MPTS hearing happened in private.

MPTS hearings are normally held in public - except where the circumstances of the case are viewed to outweigh the public interest or where details of a doctor's health are being considered.

'Took away our hope'

Ms Garland said Dr Watt's former patients feared they would never know exactly what happened.

"We've been told over and over again the GMC will answer those questions, the GMC will look at Dr Watt's practice," she said.

Jean Garland says she is devastated by the tribunal's decision

"And that's what we depended on and we often said to people in our support group, 'the GMC will give us answers about that'. And yesterday to find all of that is gone, it took away our hope, our hope of justice."

Therese Ward, another former patient of Dr Watt, said the decision was "absolutely disgusting".

"The GMC were very disappointed, that they have prepared this case to go to tribunal, and we have been involved with them, throughout the investigation, and they want to have all the answers, and accountability."

Therese Ward says the decision is "disgusting"

The decision to accept Dr Watt's request for removal from the medical register cannot be appealed by the GMC.

A number of patients said they were exploring the possibility of legally challenging the move.

Meanwhile the police have said they will continue to work with the Department of Health and other agencies to ensure that the findings of ongoing work are received and considered

Wrong diagnosis

In May 2018, the Belfast Trust recalled 2,500 patients for review after concerns were raised about the clinical work carried out by Dr Watt at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

This was followed by a further 1,044 patients who were recalled in November 2018.

A report has found almost 20% of patients seen by Dr Watt were given a wrong diagnosis.

An independent inquiry has been hearing evidence since September 2018 and has concluded oral evidence.

At the end of September, it emerged that interactions with a patient by the former neurologist had also raised serious concerns, according to a medical ethics expert.

London-based barrister Daniel Sokol reviewed evidence obtained by BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme, including text messages between Dr Watt and the female patient that were sent between 2017 and 2020.