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Radiographer Suspended Over Patient Consent Breach
8 Apr
Summary
- Radiographer suspended for 18 months for consent violations.
- Poor English skills hindered patient communication and consent.
- Patient safety concerns led to removal from the register.
A former radiographer, Melbin Thankachan, has been suspended from his profession for 18 months following serious allegations of patient consent violations at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool. While employed between July and December 2022, Thankachan repeatedly failed to obtain consent from young patients or their parents before performing procedures, including pulling down a child's shorts without permission.
Concerns were also raised regarding his clinical ability and communication skills, largely due to poor spoken English. He often had to type messages on his phone to communicate. These issues significantly impacted his ability to inform patients about their x-ray results, with one instance involving not knowing how to ask a mother how to remove a babygro.
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) investigated, with a tribunal panel describing the allegations as wide-ranging and serious. As a result, Thankachan's name will be removed from the list of registered radiographers for public protection. Full remediation will be required should he ever wish to regain registration.
