Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination — substantive hearing
Struck off the register
The regulator’s term: erasure
What does “struck off the register” mean?
Being struck off (the regulator calls this "erasure") removes the practitioner from the register. They are no longer permitted to practise this profession in the UK. Erasure can be reviewed after a minimum of five years, but is otherwise indefinite.
Concerning Velmurugan Kuppuswamy, doctor (General Medical Council 5208761).
Decision date: 30 January 2026 · Hearing started 1 September 2025 and ended 30 January 2026
In plain English
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Velmurugan Kuppuswamy's fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct and directed his erasure from the Medical Register. The tribunal found he had engaged in sexual harassment and sexually motivated conduct towards two junior female colleagues while working as a locum consultant. It noted he had previously been erased for dishonesty in 2012 before being restored in 2020, and found limited meaningful insight and a risk of repetition. An immediate order was imposed pending appeal.
Charges
Dr Kuppuswamy faced allegations of sexually motivated misconduct towards two junior female colleagues, Dr A and Dr B, while working as a locum consultant at Withybush Hospital between August and October 2021. Allegations included sending inappropriate messages, unwanted physical contact including grabbing wrists and squeezing waists, making sexually charged comments, and creating a hostile and sexualised working environment amounting to sexual harassment.
Findings
The Tribunal found facts of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment proved and determined that Dr Kuppuswamy's fitness to practise was impaired by reason of misconduct. The Tribunal found Dr Kuppuswamy had limited meaningful insight and a significant risk of repetition remained. The Tribunal concluded erasure was the appropriate and proportionate sanction, noting Dr Kuppuswamy had previously been erased from the register in January 2012 for dishonesty before restoration in November 2020. An immediate order of suspension was imposed pending appeal.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
Dr Kuppuswamy was an otherwise competent and respected clinician, supported by positive testimonials from colleagues. However, the Tribunal attributed this little weight given that its findings did not relate to his clinical practice or skills. No other mitigating factors were present.
Aggravating factors
Dr Kuppuswamy was previously erased from the Medical Register in January 2012 after findings of dishonesty, before being restored in November 2020. Upon restoration, within a short period of time, he engaged in a course of sexual harassment and sexually motivated misconduct with two junior female colleagues. The Tribunal found this demonstrated a wider attitudinal issue and a disregard for the principles set out in Good Medical Practice. Failure to work collaboratively with colleagues; abuse of professional position; sexual misconduct (SG paras 55(b), 55(d)(ii), 55(e)).
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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