KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jun. 4, CMC – The Medical Council of Jamaica has suspended Dr Roger Hunter, a controversial neurosurgeon< from practising in Jamaica with immediate effect.
In a notice published on Tuesday, the Medical Council of Jamaica announced that Hunter’s suspension is in keeping with the Medical Act, Section 11 (1) (d).
This section states: “If any person registered under this Act is found, upon enquiry by the council — to be guilty of dishonesty, negligence or incompetence in the performance of his functions as a medical practitioner or of conduct that is disgraceful in a professional respect”, they can be removed from the registry of doctors allowed to practice in the island.
The legislation also includes a provision under which the council “may at any time, if it thinks just, direct the registrar to restore to the register, any name removed therefrom”.
According to an article published in the Jamaica Observer, Hunter is scheduled to appear before the disciplinary committee of the Medical Council on July 2 to address an allegation of professional misconduct.
According to reports, a patient of wrote the Medical Council alleging that he received substandard treatment during a surgery.
In response, the Medical Council said it wrote to Hunter seeking his response to the allegation within two weeks.
However, Hunter told the observer that he was prepared to mount a strong defence against a charge he believes is premature at best, or being done with malicious intentions at worst.
“It appears that the Medical Council wants to put themselves in front of the courts. Here it is that a gentleman who received back surgery does not want to pay me, and to avoid paying he is finding every little reason to not pay,” said Hunter.
According to the neurosurgeon, the patient owes him a significant sum and is refusing to pay because two medical practitioners he specifically requested were not there.
“Yet he had a successful surgery and, to that extent, he even asked for more time to stay at my facility, my home… and to avoid paying me my money he is finding every little reason. It surprised me that the Medical Council could be used to try an intimidate me,” Hunter told then Observer.
He charged that there are many more serious allegations against doctors which the Medical Council has refused to probe and questioned if he is being targeted.
It goes to show you how they treat certain people one way and other people another way,” said Hunter as he charged that a doctor in rural Jamaica was convicted of assault more than three months ago but he has not been summoned to a hearing by the Medical Council.
“I have written the Medical Council at least 12 times… and pointed out to them that a medical doctor has been convicted and is now a criminal. The canons of the medical profession do not allow you to practice if you are a criminal,” argued Hunter.
The neurosurgeon said that, having failed to convene a hearing for a doctor who has been convicted of a crime, it is questionable that he has been called to a hearing in a case which is being probed by the police.
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