An account of the suspension, contingent removal and termination of Devon GP Dr Roger Stephenson's contract, the subsequent High Court judgement against Devon Primary Care Trust and ongoing developments in this case.
| 2007 | |
| July 1 | Dr Peter Selley retires. Dr Andrew Bower (Dr AB) takes over as probationary partner |
| September 27 | Dr AB contacts Dr Jolliffe, Chief Officer of Local Medical Committee (LMC) over "concerns" about Dr Roger Stephenson (Dr RES) |
| October 1 | LMC's Dr Jolliffe passes on concerns to PCT, unbeknown to Dr RES |
| October-March 2008 | Five months silence during which Drs RES and AB practising side by side, Dr AB as probationary partner |
| 2008 | |
| January 19 | Dr AB spends Saturday preparing bundle of documents representing allegations against Dr RES |
| January 21 | Kevin Hale writes letter to Drs RES and AB asking for explanation of QOF figures |
| January 22 | Dr AB sends bundle of allegations to PCT (in reply to Kevin Hale’s letter of 21 Jan but prepared prior to receipt of this letter) |
| January 23 | PCT receives Dr AB’s bundle |
| February 12 | Devon PCT Board approve procedure for investigating GPs' performance |
| March 3 | Dr RES receives 24 hours notice of PCT hearing with power to suspend (five months after concerns raised) |
| March 4 | 1st PCT hearing aborted on procedural grounds (inquorate panel, non-clinical investigating officer, etc) |
| March 12-14 | Dr Graham Lockerbie conducts three day investigation into Bow Practice |
| March 17 | Dr RES receives Dr Lockerbie's report with 36 hours notice of suspension hearing |
| March 19 | 2nd PCT Hearing - Dr RES's suspension begins |
| May 16 | General Medical Council Interim Orders Panel - no order made against Dr RES |
| June 18 | 3rd PCT hearing - suspension continues despite GMC ruling no reason to suspend |
| August | Drs. Wyatt and Hayter conduct second investigation into Bow practice |
| September 2 | 4th PCT hearing - Contingent Removal - 3 months assessment in Exeter before return to Bow |
| September 3 | Dr AB resigns from his Bow contract, unbeknown to Dr RES until informed by PCT on 29 Sep |
| September 29 | Dr RES receives PCT's letter purportedly terminating Bow contract |
| October 10 | Dr RES launches appeal to FHSAA against contingent removal |
| October 21 | Dr RES launches appeal to FHSAU against termination of contract |
| December 15 | Dr RES assessed as fully competent |
| December 17 | FHSAU determines improper notice given by PCT to Dr RES, contract "frustrated" |
| December 22 | Dr RES returns to work in Bow for 3 months |
| 2009 | |
| January 20 | PCT withdraws its reply to FHSAA appeal (3 days before appeal date) - PCT lifts Contingent Removal |
| January 21 | First incorrect FHSAA ruling, wrongly asserting that Dr RES had withdrawn |
| January 28 | Second incorrect FHSAA ruling ("allowing" appeal) |
| January 28 | Building work starts for temporary surgery despite ongoing availability of old surgery |
| March 17 | Third incorrect FHSAA ruling ("dismissing" appeal). Dr RES mounts High Court challenge |
| March 30 | Dr RES's last day of work at Bow |
| March 31 | Surgery moved to temporary premises in Portakabins and run by locums |
| May 1 | Dr AB awarded new contract to work in Bow |
| June | Dr Snee resigns his post at Devon PCT to move to New Zealand |
| July 10 | Dr RES attains High Court victory overturning contingent removal of 18 Sep 2008 |
| September 9 | Dr Radford, Chairman of NHS Devon, refuses to commission an independent inquiry into the case |
| September 28 | Dr Jolliffe, Chief Officer of Devon LMC, refuses to meet Dr Stephenson to discuss the case |
| 2010 | |
| March 8 | Devon PCT belatedly undertake legal duty to inform GMC of Dr Stephenson's High Court victory |
| May 25 | PCT finally admit their investigators were untrained for their role |
| September 16 | Ann James, CEO of NHS Devon, declines external inquiry, but announces internal review |
| December | Dr Jolliffe retires as CEO of Devon LMC |
| 2011 | |
| July 18 | Information Commissioner rebukes Devon LMC for failing to comply with the Data Protection Act |
| September 1 | Dr Lockerbie appointed Medical Director of NHS Devon |
| December 31 | Dr Lockerbie leaves Dartmouth Medical Practice |
| 2012 | |
| May 31 | Information Commissioner rebukes NHS Devon for their "destruction" of a key document in Dr Stephenson’s case |
| N/K | Dr Lockerbie appointed "Responsible Officer" for Devon GPs (assesses GP’s suitability for Revalidation by the GMC) |
| 2013 | |
| November 7 | Dr Lockerbie submits a positive recommendation for Dr Stephenson to be revalidated by the GMC |
| 2014 | |
| April 3 | High Court orders disclosure of Devon PCT's documents |
| December | Dr Lockerbie “not appointed” as Medical Director of southwest area of NHS England and will lose his job as Responsible Officer in April 2015 |
| 2015 | |
| September | GMC rejects Dr Lockerbie’s complaint about the content of this website |
Devon Primary Trust judgement Last Updated October 2015 Web Page by IT Solutions URL: http://www.devonpctjudgement.co.uk