GP who was suspended after dismissed a complaint is struck off
‘Disrespectful’ GP suspended after he dismissed a complaint as ‘a vindictive pile of female cr*p’ and claimed ’99 per cent of the complaints in the NHS’ come from women is struck off as tribunal finds he failed to apologise
Robert Keane made remarks while avoiding engaging in a complaint process He was taken to a tribunal in December 2020 for ‘inappropriate’ comments The doctor of more than 30 years now removed from the GMC medical registerHearing found that he had not made any efforts to remediate or apologise
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An experienced GP who dismissed a complaint against him by another doctor as a ‘vindictive pile of female cr*p’ and claimed ’99 per cent’ of complaints in the NHS come from women has been struck off.
Robert Keane, who worked for the health service for more than 30 years, made the remarks – which he later stood by but admitted were not his ‘finest hour’ – while repeatedly avoiding engagement with an investigation into his behaviour.
He was taken to a tribunal in December 2020 for ‘inappropriate’ comments and for failing to engage in a complaint process and suspended for 12 months.
But now, Dr Keane has been removed from the GMC medical register after a review hearing found he had not made any efforts to remediate or apologise.
The GP, who qualified in 1985, was a partner at a surgery in Norwich, Norfolk, for nearly 20 years, before working as a locum GP afterwards.
Dr Robert Keane received a complaint from another doctor after just one day as a locum at Lakenheath Surgery in West Suffolk (pictured)
In April 2018 – after just one day as a locum GP at Lakenheath Surgery in West Suffolk – Dr Keane received a complaint from another doctor, named as ‘Dr A’.
He proved difficult for seven months and ‘disrespected’ colleagues in emails, failed to return important documents and missed meetings.
In November 2018, he sent an email describing Dr A’s complaint about him as ‘just a vindictive pile of female crap’
After he was asked to explain, he said: ‘Well, you know, 99 per cent of the complaints in the NHS come from females and I’ve been doing my job for 33 years and yes, I mean, it’s not my finest hour but that’s my explanation.’
When asked if that implied all complaints by females are ‘cr*p’ he replied: ‘No, no, it’s a judgement on my 33 years. It’s a personal judgement.’
In later correspondence, Dr Keane told one doctor: ‘I was wondering if your secretary could ring BBC newsdesk to arrange an interview with me, Dr A, and my responsible officer, Dr D, to discuss the issues raised.
‘If you chose not to cooperate I shall make the arrangements myself.’
He later said he was ‘happy to appear on national media to discuss the situation’ and told one investigating officer: ‘I look forward to seeing you in real court’.
At a Medical Practitioners Service tribunal in December 2020, Dr Keane was suspended and criticised for referencing a colleague’s gender.
He claimed he was ‘very sorry about the emails and if they upset anyone’.
Dr Keane was initially suspended but the Medical Practitioners Tribunal has now concluded he must be removed from the register. (Stock image)
At his latest review hearing, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal panel concluded he must now be removed from the register.
Panel chair Julia Oakford said: ‘Dr Keane has not apologised in respect of those aspects of his conduct which fell short of appropriate standards or demonstrated that he had considered the impact of his actions on his patients and colleagues.
‘Dr Keane has provided no evidence of remediation or insight whatsoever.
‘He appears to now be in a worse position than in December 2020.’
Dr Keane said he was not interested in engaging with the tribunal process and retired.
