Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination — substantive hearing
Suspended from practice — 9 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 Vivek Vatikutti, doctor (General Medical Council 5187449).
Decision date: 12 December 2025 · Hearing started 8 December 2025 and ended 12 December 2025
In plain English
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Vatikutti attended a surgical shift at Warrington and Halton Hospitals on 22 September 2023 whilst under the influence of alcohol, with a blood alcohol reading of 48 mg/dl taken at 12:22pm. The tribunal found the misconduct very serious, noting a reckless disregard for patient safety and very limited insight. A 9-month suspension was imposed with a review hearing directed and an immediate order of suspension applied.
Charges
The GMC alleged that on 22 September 2023, Dr Vatikutti attended a shift as Surgical Registrar at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust whilst under the influence of alcohol. A colleague detected alcohol on his breath during the morning handover. A blood test at 12:22pm returned a reading of 48 mg/dl. The tribunal found this allegation proved.
Findings
The Tribunal found that Dr Vatikutti was under the influence of alcohol when he attended his shift at 8am, having consumed approximately two thirds of a 750ml bottle of vodka the previous evening. It concluded the misconduct was very serious, constituting a reckless disregard for patient safety, and engaged all three limbs of the overarching public protection objective. The Tribunal found that Dr Vatikutti showed very limited insight and had minimised the potential seriousness of his conduct. A high risk of repetition was identified. The Tribunal imposed a 9-month suspension with a review hearing directed. An immediate order of suspension was imposed. Dr Vatikutti absented himself from proceedings on Day 4 and the sanction stage was concluded in his absence.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
The Tribunal accepted this was a single incident in an otherwise lengthy medical career. Dr Vatikutti had provided 10 years of clinical service to the NHS, including working through periods of industrial action. There was no previous adverse fitness to practise history.
Aggravating factors
Dr Vatikutti demonstrated very limited insight into the risks his behaviour posed to patients, colleagues and the reputation of the profession. He continued to minimise the potential impact of his high alcohol reading on his clinical performance. The Tribunal assessed the risk of repetition as high. Dr Vatikutti absented himself from the hearing on Day 4 during the sanction stage.
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.
Spot something incorrect?
If a fact on this page is wrong, or you believe the page should not be published, please submit a correction or takedown request.