Healthcare regulator insights
Why UK healthcare practitioners are struck off
This analysis groups published erasure determinations into broad reason categories such as clinical care, dishonesty, sexual misconduct, and non-engagement with the regulator. The figures describe MedicWatch's indexed corpus of published regulator determinations, not all healthcare misconduct.
693
published erasure determinations analysed
679
matched at least one specific reason category
12 March 2018
earliest decision date in this view
18 September 2026
latest decision date in this view
Cite this: https://medicwatch.co.uk/insights/why-healthcare-practitioners-are-struck-off#dataset-summary · download the underlying data (CSV).
Focused category pages
- Sexual misconduct in healthcare regulator erasure decisions
This page groups published erasure determinations where regulator-derived summaries include sexual misconduct, sexualised behaviour, or professional-boundary language.
- Dishonesty in healthcare regulator erasure decisions
This page groups published erasure determinations where regulator-derived summaries include dishonesty, fraud, forged documents, false records, or misleading conduct language.
- Clinical care failings in healthcare regulator erasure decisions
This page groups published erasure determinations where regulator-derived summaries include clinical care, treatment, competence, or performance language.
Scope by profession group
Interactive chart
Categorised reasons in published erasure decisions
Records
357 of 693
51.5%
Clinical care
310 of 693
44.7%
Workplace conduct
208 of 693
30%
Patient safety
191 of 693
27.6%
Criminal conviction
188 of 693
27.1%
Dishonesty
186 of 693
26.8%
Sexual misconduct
146 of 693
21.1%
Medicines and drugs
139 of 693
20.1%
Consent and dignity
131 of 693
18.9%
Health and substance
130 of 693
18.8%
Non-engagement
39 of 693
5.6%
Other
14 of 693
2%
Category table
| Category | Count | Share | What this includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Records, paperwork, and administration | 357 | 51.5% | Findings involving record keeping, notes, paperwork, documentation, or administrative compliance. |
| Clinical care and competence | 310 | 44.7% | Findings involving clinical care, treatment, diagnosis, competence, performance, or professional skill. |
| Workplace conduct and colleagues | 208 | 30% | Findings involving colleagues, workplace behaviour, bullying, harassment, or employer-related conduct. |
| Patient safety and safeguarding | 191 | 27.6% | Findings involving patient safety, safeguarding, vulnerable people, child protection, or risk of harm. |
| Criminal conviction or caution | 188 | 27.1% | Findings where the published determination refers to a criminal conviction, caution, court sentence, or criminal offence. |
| Dishonesty and false records | 186 | 26.8% | Findings involving dishonesty, fraud, forged documents, false statements, or misleading records. |
| Sexual misconduct and boundaries | 146 | 21.1% | Regulator-described findings involving sexual misconduct, sexualised behaviour, or professional-boundary violations. |
| Medicines, prescribing, and drugs | 139 | 20.1% | Findings involving prescribing, medicines management, controlled drugs, medication errors, or drug misuse. |
| Communication, consent, and dignity | 131 | 18.9% | Findings involving consent, communication, dignity, confidentiality, or patient information. |
| Health, alcohol, or substance concerns | 130 | 18.8% | Findings involving health concerns, alcohol, substance misuse, or health-related impairment. |
| Non-engagement with the regulator | 39 | 5.6% | Findings involving failure to engage, non-compliance, breach of conditions, or failure to cooperate with the regulator. |
| Other or unclear | 14 | 2% | Determinations where the available summary text does not clearly match one of the other broad categories. |
Example source-backed determinations
Records, paperwork, and administration
18 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Assistant Registrar agreed to Jade Megan Linton's removal from the register on 18 September 2026, following an application made in July. A health-related referral had been investigated, but no allegation had been substantively proved. The decision records that Linton no longer intended to work as a registered nurse and that agreed removal best served the public interest. The matters may be reconsidered if readmission is sought.
17 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilBiomedical scientist
The HCPTS panel ordered biomedical scientist Emmanuel Pakha-Ephraim to be struck off after finding repeated safety-check failures and dishonesty towards supervisors. The findings concerned cell products and test results, with risks to patients. The panel found continuing impairment and no evidence of insight or remediation. It also imposed interim suspension to cover the appeal period or any appeal before the substantive order takes effect.
15 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilParamedic
The HCPTS panel ordered paramedic Andrew Edwards to be struck off from 4 November 2026 following a review of his suspension. The earlier proceedings concerned a drink-driving conviction. The panel proceeded in his absence and held the hearing in private because it involved health and private-life matters. The published version records the removal order but redacts the substantive review reasoning.
Clinical care and competence
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Raphael Iyiewuare to be struck off after he admitted dishonest competency declarations and references, alongside clinical competence failings. The panel found that patients were put at risk but noted no evidence of actual harm. It acknowledged his admissions, mentoring and developing insight, but concluded that striking off was required. An interim suspension covers the appeal period before the final order takes effect.
11 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Carlo Federico Spatola's striking off after reviewing earlier professional-boundary breaches involving contact with a patient on social media. The panel found no evidence of insight, reflection or steps to address the concerns and found his fitness to practise remained impaired. It concluded that further suspension would serve no useful purpose. The order was to take effect at the end of 16 October 2026.
11 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilPhysiotherapist
The HCPTS panel ordered physiotherapist Arthur Martial to be removed from the register from 24 October 2026 following a suspension review. The earlier case concerned professional boundaries and clinical recordkeeping. The panel acknowledged developing insight and regret but found insufficient evidence of remediation and continuing impairment. It concluded that conditions were unworkable and further suspension would serve no useful purpose.
Workplace conduct and colleagues
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Raphael Iyiewuare to be struck off after he admitted dishonest competency declarations and references, alongside clinical competence failings. The panel found that patients were put at risk but noted no evidence of actual harm. It acknowledged his admissions, mentoring and developing insight, but concluded that striking off was required. An interim suspension covers the appeal period before the final order takes effect.
11 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Anish Babu Thananki to be struck off for dishonesty about employment history and sexual harassment of a colleague. An intention to violate the colleague's dignity was not proved, and no evidence was offered on a separate allegation. The panel acknowledged his participation and expressed remorse but found insufficient insight or remediation. An interim suspension covers the appeal period before the final order takes effect.
10 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilOperating department practitioner
The HCPTS panel ordered operating department practitioner Stephen Spencer to be struck off after findings involving sexual misconduct towards colleagues and dishonesty in a controlled drugs record. Some allegations were discontinued or not proved. The panel found current impairment and a risk of repetition, with insufficient insight or remediation. Interim suspension covers the appeal process before the final removal order takes effect.
Patient safety and safeguarding
17 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilBiomedical scientist
The HCPTS panel ordered biomedical scientist Emmanuel Pakha-Ephraim to be struck off after finding repeated safety-check failures and dishonesty towards supervisors. The findings concerned cell products and test results, with risks to patients. The panel found continuing impairment and no evidence of insight or remediation. It also imposed interim suspension to cover the appeal period or any appeal before the substantive order takes effect.
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Raphael Iyiewuare to be struck off after he admitted dishonest competency declarations and references, alongside clinical competence failings. The panel found that patients were put at risk but noted no evidence of actual harm. It acknowledged his admissions, mentoring and developing insight, but concluded that striking off was required. An interim suspension covers the appeal period before the final order takes effect.
11 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilPhysiotherapist
The HCPTS panel ordered physiotherapist Arthur Martial to be removed from the register from 24 October 2026 following a suspension review. The earlier case concerned professional boundaries and clinical recordkeeping. The panel acknowledged developing insight and regret but found insufficient evidence of remediation and continuing impairment. It concluded that conditions were unworkable and further suspension would serve no useful purpose.
Criminal conviction or caution
15 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilParamedic
The HCPTS panel ordered paramedic Andrew Edwards to be struck off from 4 November 2026 following a review of his suspension. The earlier proceedings concerned a drink-driving conviction. The panel proceeded in his absence and held the hearing in private because it involved health and private-life matters. The published version records the removal order but redacts the substantive review reasoning.
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Amanda Lillian Reid to be struck off following a conviction for pension fraud. The panel found sustained, planned dishonesty and insufficient evidence of insight or remediation. It acknowledged her guilty plea and acceptance of the regulatory concern, but concluded that lesser sanctions would not protect the public or maintain confidence in nursing. An interim suspension covers the appeal period.
11 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Kiran Farooq to be struck off following convictions for involvement in supplying cocaine and ecstasy. The panel found insufficient insight or remediation and concluded that the serious drug offences were incompatible with continued registration. It acknowledged that the offending had not directly put patients at risk, but found wider public protection and confidence concerns. An interim suspension covers the appeal period.
Dishonesty and false records
17 September 2026Health and Care Professions CouncilBiomedical scientist
The HCPTS panel ordered biomedical scientist Emmanuel Pakha-Ephraim to be struck off after finding repeated safety-check failures and dishonesty towards supervisors. The findings concerned cell products and test results, with risks to patients. The panel found continuing impairment and no evidence of insight or remediation. It also imposed interim suspension to cover the appeal period or any appeal before the substantive order takes effect.
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Amanda Lillian Reid to be struck off following a conviction for pension fraud. The panel found sustained, planned dishonesty and insufficient evidence of insight or remediation. It acknowledged her guilty plea and acceptance of the regulatory concern, but concluded that lesser sanctions would not protect the public or maintain confidence in nursing. An interim suspension covers the appeal period.
14 September 2026Nursing and Midwifery CouncilNurse
The NMC's Fitness to Practise Committee ordered Raphael Iyiewuare to be struck off after he admitted dishonest competency declarations and references, alongside clinical competence failings. The panel found that patients were put at risk but noted no evidence of actual harm. It acknowledged his admissions, mentoring and developing insight, but concluded that striking off was required. An interim suspension covers the appeal period before the final order takes effect.
Methodology and limits
This page analyses published erasure and voluntary-erasure determinations in the MedicWatch indexed corpus. It does not claim to measure all misconduct in UK healthcare or every regulator decision ever made.
MedicWatch applies a fixed taxonomy to regulator-derived charges, findings, and plain-English summaries. A determination can match more than one category, so category percentages may add up to more than 100%. The denominator for each percentage on this page is 693 published determinations.
Categories describe broad themes in the regulator's published findings. They are not new allegations by MedicWatch. Follow the linked source determinations for the full wording and context.
For citation, describe this as “MedicWatch analysis of its indexed corpus of published UK healthcare regulator erasure determinations”. Do not describe it as a measure of all UK healthcare misconduct.