Waheed Ahmed Ghauri

Preliminary Matters
1. On 10 February 2022, a panel of the Investigating Committee referred to the Health Committee for hearing the following allegations:

1. On 5 July 2021, you accepted a Caution from Greater Manchester Police for sending by public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message/matter; stalking involving serious alarm/distress; and sending a letter/communication/article conveying a threatening message.
   2. On 17 June 2021, you attended your place of work:
   a) Under the influence of alcohol; and
   b) After having driven to the location whilst over the prescribed limit for alcohol.
   3. You have a physical or mental health condition as set out in Schedule A.
   4. The matter set out in particular 2 above constitutes misconduct.
   5. By reason of your caution and/or misconduct and/or health your fitness to practise is impaired.

2. In relation to every decision the Panel has made, it has received and accepted advice from the Legal Assessor.

Preliminary applications considered by the Panel

3. Before the Presenting Officer opened the case and called the first witness, the Panel considered two applications, namely:

• That the hearing should be conducted in private.
• That aspects of the allegations should be amended.

Application that the hearing should be conducted in private

4. The Presenting Officer made this application, stating that he was doing so as the Registrant was unrepresented and might be unfamiliar with the circumstances that could justify a hearing being conducted in private. The Presenting Officer submitted that the entire case should be conducted in private. He submitted that as this hearing was one before the Health Committee and the primary issue to be decided related to the Registrant’s health; to the extent that other matters would be considered by the Panel, they were inextricably linked to the issues of health that would be the primary focus of the Panel’s decisions.

5. In reaching its decision on the issue the Panel acknowledged that it had the power to direct that only defined parts of the hearing should be conducted in private. Nevertheless, the Panel agreed with the Presenting Officer that it was not possible sensibly to distinguish issues that were not related to the Registrant’s health. The Panel considered that as the issue of the Registrant’s health would be central to the issues considered, the entire hearing should be held in private to protect his private life. Accordingly, the Panel acceded to the application advanced by the Presenting Officer. It should be noted that this is a private determination. A short, redacted public version of the Panel’s decision will be issued.

Order:
The Registrar is directed to suspend the registration of Mr Waheed Ahmed Ghauri for a period of 9 months from the date this order comes into effect.

Interim Order

Decision

The Panel makes an Interim Suspension Order under Article 31(2) of the Health Professions Order 2001, the same being necessary to protect members of the public, being otherwise in the public interest, and in the interests of the Registrant himself.

This order will expire: (if no appeal is made against the Panel’s decision and Order) upon the expiry of the period during which such an appeal could be made; (if an appeal is made against the Panel’s decision and Order) the final determination of that appeal, subject to a maximum period of 18 months.

History of Hearings for Waheed Ahmed Ghauri