Newly qualified GP suspended after being caught 'speeding up' video appointments

Dr Asim, who studied medicine in Pakistan and moved to the UK in 2010, was required to record the sessions for her GP training scheme at a practice in West Sussex.

When an examiner was checking her footage, they noticed that a clock on the wall showed it was 12.34pm - despite her video 'officially' finishing at 11.50am.

After the alarm was raised, Dr Asim - who had twice failed her GP exam before - was pressed on the matter, and she claimed she was scared of being marked down and was so stressed that she had considered quitting.

The 45-year-old, who was training at the Victoria Road Surgery in Worthing, was later reported to the General Medical Council, and faced a tribunal.

At said tribunal, Dr Asim, who lives in Streatham in South London, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct - and was banned from treating patients for two months.

Investigators uncovered that out of 13 consultations recorded by Dr Asim, four had been sped up.

Exam rules stated that consultations should be recorded continuously while editing and turning off the camera was not allowed.

Their criteria also outlined that appointments should be limited to 12 minutes - and, if a consultation exceeded the said time limit, Dr Asim would not achieve marks for anything occurring after that.

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Dr Asim had submitted her recorded consultations in March 2023 - but concerns were raised when the examiner approached a professor in charge of the programme to raise concerns.

After finding anomalies in the videos, all 13 of Dr Asim's consultations were reviewed and it was suspected four had been sped up.

Dr Asim told senior colleagues in a follow-up meeting that she was "shocked, surprised and unable to offer an explanation for discrepancies".

She admitted to using her mobile phone to record the videos and then used apps to speed up the footage.

Dr Asim apologised for her actions and said there was "no excuse or justification for her behaviour".

"Matters had been difficult at home but although I felt under extreme pressure, I had not taken any time off work nor had I discussed the pressures I was facing with anyone," she said.

"I had failed the exam on two previous occasions and I was concerned my next attempt would be my final attempt, and I would not get a further extension to complete my training."

"I recorded all my consultations over a two-month period which felt like a continuous exam.

"I was concerned consultations were not complex enough to meet the criteria and there were technological challenges in submitting consultations so I chose to use my mobile phone to record them."

The chairman of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service - where Dr Asim was found guilty - said: "'Dr Asim's actions sought to undermine the system of examination and admission to the GP register.

"Her conduct was planned and protracted over a period of days with the aim of helping her to pass professional exams.

"But the tribunal noted Dr Asim was going through a difficult period in her home life.

"It also accepted that she was worried about passing the exam having failed it on two previous occasions and that she had not confided in anyone in detail about her difficult circumstances.

"It is said Dr Asim is now more open with those around her, has friends in whom she can confide and is actively monitoring her stress levels.

"It was clear to the Tribunal that Dr Asim was a well-regarded doctor and that those providing testimonials considered her conduct to be out of character."