Soundrapandian Sivakumar PANDIAN

On 5 June 2022 Dr Pandian exchanged WhatsApp messages with Miss A, his trainee, in which she told him to stop contacting her when she was not at work, unless it was a work related emergency. However, from 20 October 2022 until June 2023, Dr Pandian continued to behave inappropriately towards Miss A, when she was no longer his trainee. He sent messages to her via WhatsApp, emails to her personal email address and rang her on her mobile number. This was despite Miss A having told him on 16 January 2023 that it was harassment and that she did not wish to keep in contact with him ‘unless absolutely essential for clinical work’, and despite Miss A having told him on 8 April 2023 not to contact her again. Dr Pandian's conduct in this matter amounted to a breach of professional boundaries. This conduct does not meet the standards required of a doctor. It risks bringing the profession into disrepute and it must not be repeated. The required standards are set out in Good medical practice and associated guidance. In particular, Good medical practice states: 48 You must treat colleagues with kindness, courtesy and respect. 52 You must help to create a culture that is respectful, fair, supportive, and compassionate by role modelling behaviours consistent with these values. 53 You should be aware of how your behaviour may influence others within and outside the team. 81 You must make sure that your conduct justifies patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in your profession.

The GMC guidance Maintaining personal and professional boundaries is also relevant, in particular: 3 Appropriate personal and professional boundaries are essential between medical professionals and their patients, and between medical professionals and their colleagues. 5 Professional and respectful working relationships between colleagues are central to positive working cultures. It is essential that individuals feel safe and respected in their workplaces, that they feel able to speak up when they experience or witness negative behaviours, and that they are supported to do so. Whilst this failing in itself is not so serious as to require any restriction on Dr Pandian's registration, it is necessary in response to issue this formal warning. This warning will be published on the medical register in line with our publication and disclosure policy, which can be found at www.gmc-uk.org/disclosurepolicy.