GP who took Tesco shifts after Ballymena pills fraud bust tells of strike-off fears

Disgraced GP John McClelland (50) pretended to be another doctor with the same name when he tried to get 200 tablets, which he claimed were for his mother, from Lloyd’s in Ballymena.

But a suspicious pharmacist alerted police and it emerged that McClelland — a GP in Gateshead and with an address in Newcastle Upon Tyne — had committed similar prescription frauds in England.

The Newcastle-based GP received a 12 month suspension by a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in July 2021 over his misconduct and criminal convictions.

Barred from working as a doctor, he started doing shifts at a Tesco supermarket where he was still working last July when his suspension was extended by 12 months.

Earlier this month, Dr McClelland told a fitness to practice review hearing that he loved his medical career, his biggest fear was being stuck-off and the prospect of not practising in the future was “horrifying” to him.

He apologised for not fully engaging with proceedings previously saying they were stressful for him and he had “stuck his head in the sand”.

The MPTS panel found he was still impaired and extended his suspension by nine more months.

The 50-year-old — who graduated from Aberdeen University in 1996 and worked at a Gateshead practice from 2013 — has described his fraudulent actions as “outrageous” and expressed remorse.

In evidence at this month’s hearing, Dr McClelland agreed that a further period of suspension would be appropriate and said he would use the time to undertake intense study, engage with GP groups and take a GP refresher course.

He said his personal life has improved, he has managed to repay his debts and that his family and friends are very supportive.

The tribunal panel said Dr McClelland’s dishonesty was “repeated, pre-meditated, complex and sustained over a period of time” and an abuse of his professional position.

It added: “The tribunal considered that while Dr McClelland’s remediation remains incomplete, it cannot be satisfied that there was no risk of him repeating his misconduct.”

Dr McClelland had previously had restrictions placed on his registration including being barred from writing prescriptions for family and friends.

But between June and December 2018, while working as a GP in Gateshead, he created fake drug prescriptions 22 times to get drugs for himself.

On August 2019 at North Tyneside Magistrates Court, he received a three month community order and was electronically tagged over the fake prescriptions.

In October 2019, this time at Ballymena Magistrates Court, he was given a two-year conditional discharge after admitting making a false representation to an employee at a Lloyds pharmacy in the town the previous August.

The tribunal heard he wrote a prescription for 200 tablets which he presented at the Ballymena pharmacy, telling staff he was on holiday in the area and the pills were for his mother.

He gave the name Dr McClelland and a GMC number. He also showed photo ID confirming his name.

But after he left the store, the pharmacist checked the General Medical Council register and saw there were two doctors by the name given on the prescription.

The pharmacist had become suspicious as there was no surgery address on the prescription.

The doctor whose GMC number had been used was contacted and he stated that he had not attended the pharmacy.

The concerned pharmacist then called the police.

Dr McClelland told previous tribunals he was filled with shame over his behaviour and convictions.

He said his criminal conviction was reported in the local newspaper in Northern Ireland and so many family and friends became aware of his situation.

In June 2022, he wrote to the Tribunal saying: “I’ve been working in Tesco for this past year, initially on night shift, more recently on days.

At the latest hearing he said his biggest concern was that he may be erased from the medical register.

In its June 2023 finding, the panel said: “The tribunal has borne in mind that Dr McClelland’s misconduct and conviction arose as a direct result of (redacted by tribunal).

“The tribunal acknowledged (he) had developed some insight and has demonstrated his remorse. However, it has taken into account that there were a number of very serious matters such as using the GMC number of another doctor of the same name and deleting patient records.

“It also appeared there was an escalation of his deception in order to obtain prescription medication for his own personal use. His actions were dishonest and had the potential to put patients at serious risk of harm.”

Extending his suspension, it added: ”Dr McClelland will have the opportunity to demonstrate full remediation and to bring his medical knowledge and skills up to date.”​