Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination — substantive hearing
Suspended from practice — 6 months
The regulator’s term: suspension
What does “suspended from practice” mean?
A suspension is a fixed-term pause on the right to practise. The practitioner cannot work in the regulated profession during the suspension. At the end of the period the suspension may be extended, replaced with another sanction, or lifted on review.
Concerning Josu Mendiguren, doctor (General Medical Council 4286301).
Decision date: 13 November 2025 · Hearing started 3 November 2025 and ended 13 November 2025
This sanction period has elapsed.
In plain English
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Josu Mendiguren was convicted in August 2023 of drink driving and had subsequently attended work whilst under the influence of alcohol on two occasions, conducting patient consultations while intoxicated. He also failed to notify the GMC of his charge and conviction without delay. The tribunal found his fitness to practise impaired by reason of misconduct and conviction, and imposed a 6-month suspension with a review hearing directed, noting his very limited insight and negligible steps toward remediation.
Charges
1. Convicted on 1 August 2023 at Liverpool Magistrates Court of driving with excess alcohol (Road Traffic Act 1988, s.5), relating to an incident on 11 July 2023; sentenced to 30-month driving disqualification, 12-month community order with 160 hours unpaid work and 80-day alcohol abstinence requirement monitored by electronic tag. 2. Failed to notify the GMC without delay that he had been charged with, and convicted of, the criminal offence. 3. On 9 November 2023 (found proved) and/or 8 November 2023 (to be determined), attended work at Townsend Medical Centre whilst under the influence of alcohol. 4. On 26 June 2024, attended work whilst under the influence of alcohol and conducted one or more telephone consultations whilst under the influence of alcohol (latter charge to be determined). 5. Breach of interim conditions order (redacted).
Findings
The tribunal found the admitted charges proved and determined the disputed facts. It found Dr Mendiguren's fitness to practise impaired by reason of misconduct and conviction. His alcohol use had resulted in attending work intoxicated and conducting patient consultations while under the influence of alcohol. The tribunal found his level of insight very limited and evidence of remediation negligible. It imposed a 6-month suspension with a review hearing directed. An immediate order was also imposed.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
- No evidence that Dr Mendiguren re-offended since his conviction in August 2023 (more than two years without repetition); he pleaded guilty at an early stage. - Failure to report his charge and conviction did not appear to be a deliberate choice but rather ignorance of or misunderstanding of the requirements. - The conviction and misconduct occurred in a relatively short period (July 2023 to June 2024, less than 12 months) in the context of a relatively long career in medicine and more than 22 years at the Surgery. - There was some evidence that Dr Mendiguren is an effective and well-regarded doctor. - During the period in question, Dr Mendiguren had experienced a number of challenges in his personal and family life.
Aggravating factors
- Dr Mendiguren's alcohol use had resulted in intoxication in the workplace, putting patients at risk of harm, and a criminal conviction for drink driving. - The circumstances of the conviction were aggravated by the collision, damage to property and the blood alcohol reading being approximately four times the legal limit. - Dr Mendiguren's insight in relation to his conduct was very limited, which was a significant aggravating factor. - Dr Mendiguren lacked insight into the impact of his conduct on others and the reputation of the profession. - Failure to comply with formal requirements (including breach of an interim order of conditions as recently as July 2025) indicated his level of insight had remained very limited across the whole period from his conviction to the hearing. - His conduct in lying to a colleague to conceal his intoxication on 9 November 2023 was an aggravating feature indicative of an attitudinal issue.
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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