Michael Watt hearing: Lawyers withdraw over mental health concerns

Dr Michael Watt worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital as a neurologist

Lawyers for a doctor at the centre of Northern Ireland's biggest patient recall have withdrawn from his new fitness to practise hearing.

Legal representatives for Michael Watt said they are "concerned about his serious mental health condition".

They told the Medical Practice Tribunal Service that the continuation of the hearing in public "presents a real risk to his mental health".

A new fitness to practise hearing began in September.

The legal team has also formally withdrawn an application to the tribunal for Michael Watt to remove himself from the medical register.

It followed a ruling by the High Court earlier this year to quash a decision where he previously was voluntary erased from the medical register.

The previous hearing was heard in private while the new one is now in public.

A defence lawyer said they were not prepared to represent him at the public hearing moving forward in the interests of both Michael Watt and the public.

'Public interest in expeditious hearing'

Defence barrister Matthew McDonagh told the hearing: "Dr Watt understands the matter could continue uncontested in his absence."

Charles Garside KC, who is representing the General Medical Council (GMC), said the tribunal can be confident that the lawyers who withdrew will have had "appropriate and necessary discussions with Dr Watt before taking the decision".

He said: the doctor "has made a decision with full advice and knowledge" of the possible implications.

Mr Garside said the panel should consider the fairness to the practitioner, the public and the GMC.

"The public interest requires that these proceedings are dealt with as expeditiously as possible" he said.

He suggested the panel should send a letter with details on how Dr Watt could join the hearing himself but that "there was no way of forcing him if he didn't want to".

The tribunal has decided the hearing will continue in his absence.

It then heard evidence from doctors who were involved in Dr Watt's original performance assessment.

'Nothing to contradict assessment'

Dr Paul Wilson was questioned about whether Dr Watt was asked if he felt well enough to go ahead with the assessment.

He replied: "My practice is to ask the doctor simply is your health such that you feel well enough to go ahead with the assessment process, and the answer was in the affirmative."

He was further asked if anything had arisen that made him think Dr Watt was unfit, to which Dr Wilson said: "Not at all."

A lawyer for the GMC spoke before the panel retired, saying there was "nothing to contradict the assessment made by expert assessors in this case".

"I respectfully submit... that the handicap of him not being here and not being represented is much reduced, he has been represented before now."

The hearing is considering whether Dr Watt's fitness to practise is impaired by "deficient professional performance" following a performance assessment in which his practise was assessed as unacceptable in five areas.

The tribunal is inquiring into the allegation that, between 7 and 22 of October 2018, Michael Watt underwent a General Medical Council assessment of the standard of his professional performance.

It is alleged that that performance was unacceptable in the areas of maintaining professional performance, assessment, clinical management, record keeping and relationship with patients.