A County Durham doctor has been suspended for misconduct after having a sexual relationship with a patient.
Dr Adrian Farley's registration has been suspended for four months after he admitted having a sexual relationship with a patient who was registered at his practice. Dr Farley, who qualified from Newcastle University in 1996, was working as a GP at the Belmont, Sherburn and Bowburn Practice at the time.
This week, Dr Farley has been facing a Medical Practitioners Tribunal (MPTS) in Manchester, which began on Monday, and made admissions to the allegations on the first day. Chaired by Lindsay Irvine, the tribunal was held in order to make an independent decision about Dr Farley's fitness to practise.
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It was admitted and proved at the tribunal that between 2011 and 31 March 2021, Dr Farley had been a GP at the County Durham practice. It was also admitted and proved that between December 2020 and February 2021 he "engaged in a sexual relationship" with a registered patient - referred to as 'Patient A' throughout the tribunal.
At the conclusion of the tribunal, it was determined that Dr Farley’s fitness to practise is currently impaired because of his misconduct. As a result, the tribunal determined to suspend his registration for a period of four months. Full details of the tribunal have not yet been disclosed.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service is part of the General Medical Council, but it is operationally separate and it is accountable to Parliament.
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