By Pete Richardson
TWO doctors who campaign vigorously in the aesthetics industry for tighter controls are under investigation by the General Medical Council.
And one of them, Dr Roshan Ravindran, was even appointed in 2018 to the JCCP’s Fitness to Practice Appointments Committee.
It has been revealed that Dr Ravindran, 40, who founded a beauty clinic in Wilmslow, Cheshire, has been told he must inform the watchdog of any new medical role he accepts while the investigation into him continues.
He has also been told he cannot carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone pending the conclusion of the probe.
In addition, just last week, Dr Nyla Raja, once dubbed “The Queen of Botox”, who has built a successful beauty empire from Cheshire to London, had strict conditions imposed while the medical watchdog carries out an investigation into her.
Both have been vocal advocates of tighter controls on non-medics in the beauty industry.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News in 2018 Dr Raja, who is registered with the GMC as Naila Raja-Jaweed, said: ” The reason I’m expanding is that there’s loads of beauticians doing this now and that’s really bad, there’s no regulation in this country, it’s so important to me that we make it common practice that people are going to doctors for medical treatments, NOT beauticians.
“I’m on a big campaign at the moment to try to regulate this industry because I’m seeing so much harm coming to young women because when you’re 21 you can’t afford £300, but you think okay I can afford £100 to go to someone on a side-street.
“It’s important to me that I keep my prices reasonable so that the average person can come to me and aren’t forced into back street clinics with unqualified people.”
Dr Roshan Ravindran, who is known as Dr Rosh, and was appointed to the JCCP committee in 2018, and claims on his CV he is a “Voice for Regulation”.
According to the Manchester Evening News (MEN), his CV states: “We are focused on integrity in an industry that is rife with exploitation and a lack of regulation in the UK. I am a voice for regulation in the filler and device industry, advising the UK Government.”
The GMC has not made public the allegations it is investigating against either Dr Ravindran or Dr Raja, however, its website highlights the conditions imposed upon them.
Doctor – GMC (gmc-uk.org) – “This Doctor Has Conditions” – The GMC website details of the conditions imposed on Dr Naila Raja by the General Medical Council pending an ongoing investigation.
Doctor – GMC (gmc-uk.org) – “This Doctor Has Conditions” – The GMC website details of the conditions imposed on Dr Roshan Ravindran by the General Medical Council pending an ongoing investigation.
This Blog has learned that the JCPP was made aware of these allegations by Dr Ravindran himself approximately 14 months ago. They say that since that time Dr Ravindran not been involved in any activity relating to the JCCP and was formally suspended from his work with the JCCP’s Fitness to Practice Appointments Committee.
It is also understood that the JCPP has been in active liaison with the GMC since the time of the initial disclosure and that Dr Ravindran and has never been a member of the JCCP‘s practitioner register – despite being a committee member.
The conditions placed on the two doctors are varied and strict pending the outcome of the investigations.
Cosmetic Couture CEO Maxine McCarthy said the news was quite incredible.
She said: “I know everybody is innocent until proven guilty but two serious investigations of well know aesthetic doctors is big news. It makes you wonder how many more are out there. Non medics are always under attack at the slightest opportunity so it’s great to see the media discovering and digging up serious stories like this about investigations into the activities of aesthetic doctors who themselves are always quick to criticise.”
The GMC conditions mean the 43-year-old mother-of-three Dr Raja from Prestbury, Cheshire, must inform the GMC of any new medical role she takes up in the next 18 months, although she will be allowed to continue to practice medicine in the meanwhile.
Under the name Naila Raja-Jaweed, the GMC imposed ‘interim conditions’ on her registration following a tribunal on May 6 this year.
The conditions imposed means the doctor must notify the GMC of any new post she takes up including the job title and its location, and also provide her new employer or contracting body’s contact details where she has been given ‘practising privileges’.
She must also ‘personally ensure’ the GMC is told of any new post before she takes it up and that ‘all relevant people’ are told of her conditions.
Dr Raja is also required to inform the watchdog if any disciplinary proceedings are started by her employer or contracting body or if any of her practising privileges have been suspended.
She must also inform the GMC if she applies for a post outside the UK.
Dr Raja has also been told she must allow the GMC to exchange information with her employer or contracting body to whom she provides medical services.
She has also been told to inform her ‘responsible officer’, a senior doctor who overseas her case, of any new medical role.
The conditions were published on the GMC website while its linked Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, which decides whether doctors are fit to practise, stated on its website the interim conditions would be imposed for 18 months, subject to review.
A spokesman for Dr Raja told the MEN: “As is standard during any investigation, the GMC has published an interim order.
“This has no bearing on Dr Nyla’s ability or permission to practice. She is not restricted in any way from running her business as usual.
“Of course, as a medical professional she is working closely and collaboratively with the GMC to help them progress as efficiently as possible.”
Meanwhile Dr Roshan Ravindran has been told he must inform the watchdog of any new medical role he accepts while the investigation into him continues.
He has also been told he cannot carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone pending the conclusion of the probe.
He must inform the body of any new medical post or if any formal disciplinary proceedings are mounted again him or if any ‘practising privileges’ are withdrawn.
He is also required to inform the GMC if he applies for a role outside the UK.
The GMC states: “Except in life-threatening emergencies, he must not carry out in person consultations with female patients, without a chaperone present.”
Dr Ravindran is also required to keep a log detailing every case where he consults a female patient which must be signed by the chaperone.
A spokesperson for Dr Ravindran told the MEN: “The interim conditions from a year ago involve no adverse finding against Dr Ravindran. The case does not concern his aesthetics practice and he is confident of a positive outcome.”
The investigations are ongoing.
