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UK NHS Fires Therapist Over English Fluency Lie
14 Apr
Summary
- Therapist fired after eight months for misrepresenting English proficiency.
- Claimed English was first language but struggled with patients and colleagues.
- Panel found her dishonest, removing her from the professional register.
Sai Keerthana Sriperambuduru, employed by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was terminated in June 2024. Her employment, which began in October 2023, concluded after she failed to disclose that English was not her native language. Sriperambuduru claimed English was her first language on her application, a statement that proved to be inaccurate within weeks of her starting.
During a review meeting in November 2025, Sriperambuduru admitted Telugu was her primary language. She acknowledged difficulties transcribing conversations and understanding patients due to rapid speech. Despite attending English lessons, her struggles as a Speech and Language Therapist persisted.
Her line manager noted an unusual request for a chat-box during the interview, as Sriperambuduru was already living in the UK. She argued her education in English made it her first language, but the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service panel disagreed. They determined she intended to deceive the Trust and removed her from the professional register.
