Cosmetic Surgeon, Dr Ashish Dutta was given a nine month suspension by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal following a hearing. He was found to have inappropriately pressurised a patient into undergoing a breast augmentation procedure by offering a discount. He was also reported as laughing when passing on a patient’s complaint of sexual assault by another doctor.
The Manchester-based hearing was told the repeated breaches “represents a pattern of professional misconduct with continuing failings”.
This is not the first time that Dr Ashish Dutta has faced the Medical Practitioners Tribunal. In 2012 he received his first suspension, after a watchdog branded his actions over a botched breast enhancement a “risk to patients”. Businesswoman, Andrea Scott, unfortunately needed four operations to fix the damage which was sadly caused by Dr Ashish Dutta. She informed the Sunday Sun: “He should never be allowed to do anything ever again”.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can find or search for a trustworthy and reputable cosmetic surgeon. For example, Pryers have created a guide to help you know what to look out for and the questions to ask them.
Dr Ashish Dutta, who describes himself as a “well-respected practising cosmetic surgeon” on his website, obtained his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) medical degree in Kolkata in 1986. After many years in his home country of India, he opted to move to the UK where he trained for seven years until he decided to open his own cosmetic surgery clinic in Sunderland in 2000 under the name Aesthetic Beauty Centre. Since then the clinic has also opened branches in Newcastle, Liverpool and London.
However, unlike the first time he was suspended, it’s not his experience or skillset that is in question, it’s more his professionalism and manner towards the patient that has raised the concern. The panel themselves were disgraced by the situation, of which they ruled that “any reasonable person would be appalled by Dr Ashish Dutta’s behaviour upon listening to his conversation”.
“Dr Dutta has not accepted many of his failings, and whilst he has now begun to do so, much of this acceptance has occurred as a result of these proceedings,” adds the report.
“Therefore, the Tribunal was not assured that his eleventh-hour admissions and acceptance of wrongdoing can yet be considered as genuine insight or sufficient remediation.”
The conversation that is referenced in the panel’s statement is a telephone call were Dutta was heard relaying those claims to the clinic’s part-owner, while the patient was present.
One report reads that “During that telephone call, Dr Dutta minimises alleged behaviour by stating that it would be commonplace in other countries”.
“Whilst making this point, he can be heard to laugh. This was wholly inappropriate and undermining to the dignity of (the) patient.”
Therefore, the panel ruled on a suspension, instead of him being struck off after his representative claimed that he would be left bankrupt and staff at his clinic would be made redundant. The issue with a suspension, however, is because of its implications, it will only come into effect 28 days after it was imposed and reports also suggest that since receiving this, Dr Ashish Dutta has shown very limited remediation over his actions.
If you have suffered from cosmetic surgery going wrong or you feel like you weren’t given enough information or time to make a decision about your surgery, please get in touch and find out how our medical negligence experts can help you.
