Dr Karen Clark, an alcoholic medic who was convicted of a series of violent attacks, break-ins, and drug possession, has been removed from the doctors’ register. The decision was made by a panel from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) due to a lack of evidence showing that she had changed her behavior. Despite her plea for another chance to demonstrate her dedication to medicine, Dr Clark’s career has officially come to an end.
Dr Clark’s troubles began in 2012 when she worked as an A&E doctor at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Her criminal acts, which date back to that time, include assaulting police officers and nurses.
The images accompanying this article show Dr Clark and the hospital where she previously worked. In one image, Dr Clark is seen battling alcohol addiction and pleading for another chance to prove her commitment to medicine. The other image depicts Glasgow Royal Infirmary, where Dr Clark was employed in the A&E department.In a hearing, it was revealed that in a particular year, the individual consumed excessive amounts of alcohol before driving to a nearby car park and falling asleep in her vehicle. The police woke her up and requested a breathalyser test, which she refused. As a result, she was fined £400, disqualified from driving, and referred to the medical regulator. In 2015, a year after her last job as a medic, she was sentenced to nine months in jail for assaulting four police officers and four nurses in two separate incidents that occurred just weeks apart. Shortly after her release in 2016, she was convicted of two break-ins, one of which took place at a hair salon.
The MPTS (Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service) also documented additional offenses committed by Dr. Clark. These included two separate assaults on police officers, with one occurring as recently as 2019. The assaults involved kicking one officer in the leg and striking another in the head. The panel also noted that Dr. Clark had convictions for threatening behavior, theft, vandalism, and possession of a Class A drug. Dr. Clark admitted to all of these offenses. It is important to note that Class A drugs are considered the most dangerous illicit substances and include heroin, ecstasy, LSD, and meth.
The ruling by the MPTS was a follow-up from the previous offenses committed by Dr. Clark.Dr Clark was given a last chance to remain on the medical register during a hearing in May. This came after she had received multiple suspensions since her last work as a medic in 2014. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) provided her with nine suggestions on how to turn things around and avoid being struck off. One reason she was granted this opportunity was because she had recently been a victim of an assault in her home, which the MPTS panel believed may have impacted her progress. In a statement, Dr Clark expressed her hope for another chance to demonstrate her commitment to medicine and her dedication to recovery.
Dr Clark, who graduated from the University of Dundee in 2006, had previously shared her battle with alcoholism. However, the panel reviewing her suspension found that she had only completed one of the nine recommendations given to her. The MPTS noted in its ruling that Dr Clark had been given numerous opportunities to demonstrate insight, but after more than seven years, she had failed to address her issues. They also stated that there was still a risk of her repeating the behaviors that led to her convictions, therefore impairing her fitness to practice medicine. The General Medical Council, which brought Dr Clark’s case to the MPTS, stated that her conduct was fundamentally incompatible with continued registration.
The article includes images of Dr Clark and highlights her ban from working as a doctor due to her convictions, including attacks on police officers and nurses.A recent tribunal found that the medic had only completed one of the nine suggested changes. Another tribunal held this month came to the same conclusion. In May, Dr. Clark expressed the pain of going through regulatory proceedings and feeling like a disappointment. Dr. Clark’s representative argued for another period of suspension, claiming that the public would be equally protected by either ruling. However, the MPTS disagreed and stated that erasure was the only sanction that would maintain public confidence and uphold professional standards. The ruling highlighted Dr. Clark’s lack of insight and failure to provide evidence of remediation. Dr. Clark did not provide any new statements in the most recent ruling. She has the right to appeal the decision, but if she does, her suspension will remain in place. After being struck off, she can only apply to be restored to the register after five years.
