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Dr Preeti Chhabra, a consultant psychiatrist at Broadmoor Hospital, could lose her job after he was caught reading confidential patient notes on a crowded train
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Broadmoor doctor could lose job for reading patient notes on crowded train

By Jennie Slevin
February 05, 2013

A top Broadmoor Hospital doctor could lose her job after leafing through a patient’s notes on a crowded train.

Dr Preeti Chhabra, a consultant psychiatrist at the high security hospital in Crowthorne, is facing allegations of gross misconduct after her actions ‘violated confidentiality’.

Unbeknown to Dr Chhabra sitting opposite her was top civil servant, Jo Leech, head of secure services policy at the Department of Health, during the train journey on November 24, 2010.

After Ms Leech raised the alarm – saying she could read the patient’s name and other details, including which section of the mental health act they were held under, as Dr Chhabra turned the pages – disciplinary action was launched by the West London Mental Health NHS Trust which runs hospital in Upper Broadmoor Road.

Dr Chhabra challenged the action, insisting what she did was not serious enough to lead to disciplinary action but the Court of Appeal opened the way for her to face allegations of gross misconduct during a hearing on Friday. An internal NHS investigation into Dr Chhabra’s work found incidents where patient confidentiality was at risk, including concerns raised by a hospital secretary who said she could hear ‘sounds consistent with a railway journey’ when typing up taped dictation notes. Dr Chhabra’s former assistant also claimed she made phone calls to her during journeys to work in which patient information would be discussed.

According to the report, the consultant admitted she read her notes on the train but only when no-one was sitting near her and that telephone calls to her assistant usually concerned diary checks, never patients. Dr Chhabra added she did not realise at the time her actions compromised patient confidentiality.

Internal disciplinary action was blocked last year by a High Court injunction, but the action was quashed last week when Lord Justice Pill ruled that, although there had been procedural ‘lapses’ in the way Dr Chhabra was treated, they were not serious enough to justify court intervention. Despite her heavy workload and glowing personal references, the court ruled the NHS Trust was entitled to put together a disciplinary panel to hear the case against her, stating that patient confidentiality is ‘fundamental’.

The judge added the doctor’s alleged breaches were ‘potentially serious’ and although there was ‘considerable mitigation’ a professional threshold had been crossed and the court should not intervene to prevent disciplinary action.

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Most recent user comments 5 of 5

Total lack of respect by the doctor but I expect nothing less

Anyone who thinks this type of behaviour is okay should think how they would feel if it way their gynaecologist or proctologist was reading their notes on a train with a co worker reading over his/her shoulder.

K Huffmum
05/02/2013 at 17:34

Common sense seems to be sadly lacking in many people these days.

Snowdrop, Twyford
05/02/2013 at 16:26

Made me giggle that she was sat on a train, and the "head of secure services policy at the Department of Health" happened to be sitting next to her! That's bad luck.

Or, it indicates she's done it many times - as the note about the secretary suggests: "...including concerns raised by a hospital secretary who said she could hear ‘sounds consistent with a railway journey’ when typing up taped dictation notes. Dr Chhabra’s former assistant also claimed she made phone calls to her during journeys to work in which patient information would be discussed"

If this (highly paid professional) consultant is taking a (no doubt very large) wage from the public, we must expect her to respect patient confidentiality, and the evidence of this article is that she does not.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
05/02/2013 at 16:21

Wouldn't be the first time someone on a train opened their gob whilst sat near a fellow employee or competitor. If this were in the private sector and the information was commercially sensitive, I would expect the person to be shown the door.

Kevin Baker
05/02/2013 at 15:49

"Huhnegate" all over again, this is not the full story but I think you need to nip down to the paddle shop in Sh *T Creek as soon as possible. The end appears clear, start wriggling. My wife gets plenty of trains in worktime and struggles to get a seat, this person has a seat not overlooked by others, fantasy world luv.