How robust are our current processes?

  1. Summary
  2. How did Zholia Alemi get on to the register?
  3. Where did Zholia Alemi work?
  4. Who have we worked with to address issues arising from this case?
  1. Were any complaints made about Zholia Alemi during the time she was practising?
  2. How robust are our current processes?
  3. What should patients do if they are concerned that they were treated by Zholia Alemi?

How robust are your current processes?

We are confident that the robust checks we use today would identify anyone attempting to join the register dishonestly.

A doctor applying for registration today in the same scenario would be required to:

  • have their primary qualification verified with the relevant university by the *ECFMG – the body that verifies the credentials of healthcare professionals worldwide
  • sit and pass both parts of Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test or provide equivalent evidence of their medical knowledge and skills
  • provide comprehensive employment history and references for the most recent five years
  • provide a certificate of good standing from the regulator in each country they had practised in over those five years
  • attend the GMC offices in person to undergo an ID check bringing all original documentation with them. These documents are then examined in detail. This includes physical and light machine examination – each document is examined for signs of amendment, tampering or falsification. We also use a Keesing document checker – Keesing Technologies is a specialist provider of digital anti-counterfeiting and authentication solutions. In addition, we have access to a system called PRADO – a multi-lingual site for disseminating information on security features of authentic identity and travel documents
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All Commonwealth route doctors checked Read our statement about the completion of these checks.
Zholia Alemi - information for patients Read our support information for patients and their families.