Judge calls for inquiry into Alemi registration

[THE JUDGE in the case of bogus psychiatrist Zholia Alemi has called for an inquiry into how she could have been registered as a doctor by the GMC. According to Judge Hilary Manley the documents she submitted in 1995 were ‘clearly false’.

Over a 20-year period Alemi worked as a NHS psychiatrist in hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, earning income and benefits over £1m. She never held the medical qualifications necessary to undertake these roles. She claimed to have qualified at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, despite having dropped out of the course.

On 28 February she was sentenced to seven years in prison at Manchester Crown Court, having previously been found guilty of 13 counts of fraud, two counts of forgery, three counts of deception and two counts of using material to falsify medical qualifications.

Alemi joined the medical register in the UK under a section of the Medical Act which has not been used since 2003. The section allowed graduates of medical schools in certain Commonwealth countries, including New Zealand, to obtain registration based on a qualification in their originating country. As a result, Alemi did not have to sit and pass the Professional and Linguistic Assessment

Board exam, an assessment of skills which is usually required of doctors who qualified abroad.

Janice Wild of the CPS explained: “Alemi used forged New Zealand medical qualifications to obtain employment as a UK NHS psychiatrist for 20 years. In doing so, she must have treated hundreds of patients when she was unqualified to do so, potentially putting them at risk. Her fraudulent actions also enabled her to dishonestly earn income and benefits in excess of £1m, to which she was not entitled.

“We will now pursue confiscation proceedings against her, aiming to recover the criminal property from which she has benefitted.”

Una Lane, director of registration and revalidation at the GMC, said: “We are very sorry that Zholia Alemi was able to join our medical register in the 1990s, based on fraudulent documentation, and for any risk arising to patients as a result. Our processes are far stronger now, with rigorous testing in place to make sure those joining the register are fit to work in the UK.

“It is clear that in this case the steps taken almost three decades ago were inadequate. We are confident that, 27 years on, our systems are robust.” q