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Sittingbourne: Plans in place for patients of suspended GP Dr Beerstecher of Canterbury Road Surgery
16:28, 14 December 2018
updated: 21:14, 16 December 2018
The 1,800 patients of a GP who has been suspended have been reassured they will still be able to see a doctor.
Dr Hendrik Beerstecher, the only GP at Canterbury Road Surgery, Sittingbourne, was issued with a two-month suspension after he appeared at a Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing last month.
He filmed a presentation he gave to inspectors from the health watchdog, the Care Quality Commission, in March 2016.
Once he finished he turned off the camera but continued to record the inspectors' voices with covert equipment, without them knowing.
Dr Beerstecher also recorded a separate meeting in May 2016 with NHS England.
He then published parts of the NHS England audio recording on the practice's website and the CQC video was published on YouTube.
Swale NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, the body in charge of allocating funds for health services in the area, said it is making arrangements for Dr Beerstecher's patients during his suspension period.
"We understand this may be unsettling for some people but we would like to reassure patients" - Swale NHS Clinical Commissioning Group
A statement said: "We are making arrangements to ensure that all patients of Dr Beerstecher are able to access a GP and GP services after December 17.
"All patients who need routine NHS services such as repeat prescriptions, blood tests, test results, appointments and advice should continue to contact the surgery in the usual way until the end of regular practice hours on December 17.
"We understand this may be unsettling for some people but we would like to reassure patients that they will continue to be able to access GP services from December 18."
People can go to their pharmacist, visit the Minor Injuries Unit at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital or the walk-in GP surgery at Sheppey Community Hospital or call 111.
The tribunal was held at the MPTS HQ in Oxford Street, Manchester, and granted him an appeal period of 28 days.
However, Dr Beerstecher said he did not plan to contest the decision.
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