Dr Sarkar (GMC ref. 5197151) secretly slipped risperidone into his wife's tea for 15 months
Dear General Medical Council,
In [2020] EWHC 1896 (Admin) the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) failed to obtain costs from the GMC in respect of a case concerning Dr Chandranath Sarkar. Dr Sarkar was found to have slipped risperidone into his wife's tea time and time again. The MPTS suspended him for four months. The PSA considered the outcome lenient and appealed:
http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admi...
Please provide a copy of any information on the possible side-effects of risperidone considered by the MPT panel that decided Dr Sarkar's case. If no such information exists, please provide a copy of any information you hold that an MPT panel would reasonably be expected to consider in relation to a hearing involving a doctor who secretly administered risperidone to someone over a prolonged period.
Yours faithfully,
J Roberts
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Dear J Roberts,
Your information request – IR1-2749456711
Thank you for your email dated 21 July, in which you ask for a copy of any
information on the possible side-effects of risperidone considered by the
MPT panel that decided Dr Sarkar's case or a copy of any information you
hold that an MPT panel would reasonably be expected to consider in
relation to a hearing involving a doctor who secretly administered
risperidone to someone over a prolonged period.
How we will consider your request
We’re going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Who to contact
Matt McCoig-Lees will be handling your request. If you have any questions
you can contact him via email at [1][email address].
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic outbreak we are currently operating at
reduced capacity. It may therefore take us longer to respond to your
request. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Yours sincerely
Lauren Barrowcliffe
Information Access Team Assistant
[2][email address]
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Dear J Roberts
I write further to previous correspondence with a response under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The panellists were provided with information on side effects of
Risperidone taken from the British National Formulary.
Please see the attached information which was provided to the panel.
I hope you find this information helpful.
---
Kind Regards
Matt
Matthew McCoig-Lees
Information Access Officer
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Email: [1][email address]
Website: [2]www.gmc-uk.org
Tel: 0161 923 6579
[3]Coronavirus email footer_artwork_5-01 REWORK
From: FOI
Sent: 22 July 2020 15:45
To: '[FOI #678843 email]'
<[FOI #678843 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Dr Sarkar (GMC ref. 5197151)
secretly slipped risperidone into his wife's tea for 15 months
Dear J Roberts,
Your information request – IR1-2749456711
Thank you for your email dated 21 July, in which you ask for a copy of any
information on the possible side-effects of risperidone considered by the
MPT panel that decided Dr Sarkar's case or a copy of any information you
hold that an MPT panel would reasonably be expected to consider in
relation to a hearing involving a doctor who secretly administered
risperidone to someone over a prolonged period.
How we will consider your request
We’re going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Who to contact
Matt McCoig-Lees will be handling your request. If you have any questions
you can contact him via email at [4][email address].
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic outbreak we are currently operating at
reduced capacity. It may therefore take us longer to respond to your
request. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Yours sincerely
Lauren Barrowcliffe
Information Access Team Assistant
[5][email address]
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
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J Roberts left an annotation ()
Information provided on the covert administration of medicines:
"The covert administration of medicines should only be used in exceptional circumstances when such a means of administration is judged necessary, in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. However, once a decision has been made to covertly administer a particular medicine (fol owing an assessment of the capacity of the resident to make a decision regarding their medicines and a best interests meeting), it is also important to consider and plan how the medicine can be covertly administered, whether it is safe to do so and to ensure that need for continued covert administration is regularly reviewed (as capacity can fluctuate over time). Medicines should not be administered covertly until after a best interests meeting has been held. If the situation is urgent, it is acceptable for a less formal discussion to occur between the care home staff, prescriber and family or advocate to make an urgent decision. However, a formal meeting should be arranged as soon as possible."