GP accused of inappropriate conduct with female patients

Aug 10 2007 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

A HEARING has begun into the conduct of a Wirral doctor accused of inappropriately touching two female patients.

A General Medical Council hearing into the conduct of Dr Vijay Dwivedi, a GP at the Victoria Park Health Centre, in Rock Ferry, from 1974 to 2003, began in Manchester on Tuesday.

The hearing heard legal arguments relating to the alleged offences, which date back to between 1977 and 1990 when the surgery was Rock Ferry Health Centre.

It is alleged that on an occasion between October, 1977, and October, 1988, he conducted an internal examination on a patient without gloves, and on another occasion asked her to undress and touch her toes, before approaching her from behind and pressing himself against her.

He also stands accused of touching another patient in a sexualised manner, again not wearing gloves, during an internal examination between 1981 and 1990.

He is also alleged to have pressed himself against the same patient on a second occasion in 1987 or 1988, during which she claims she could feel the doctor in a state of arousal.

The hearing is set to continue until August 24.

Dr Dwivedi appeared in Liverpool Crown Court in March, 2005, charged with sexually molesting five female patients.

The charges were eventually dropped after the prosecution offered no evidence, and a not guilty verdict was recorded.

A previous trial the year before, in which he faced 19 offences of indecent assault involving six women patients, collapsed.