YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Dr Helen Eisenhauer, a general practitioner at Stenhouse Medical Center in the UK, is facing a five-month suspension after admitting she falsified two appointments so she could collect her children on time.
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“The incident happened more than a year ago at a time of particular stress for me when I was having to balance the demands of my young family with busy professional commitments,” she admitted during a hearing.
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In a statement, the medical center said they have “provided ongoing support” to the doctor and that they maintain “full confidence in her clinical abilities”.
A doctor in England has been suspended after admitting she had booked fake appointments so she could leave work in time to pick up her children.
Dr. Helen Eisenhauer, a general practitioner at Stenhouse Medical Center in Arnold, is facing a five-month suspension after last year she booked two appointments with patients she had already consulted to ensure she could pick up her children by 6 p.m., according to a misconduct case heard by the Chief Medical Officer.
“The incident occurred more than a year ago at a time of particular stress for me when I was having to balance the demands of my young family with busy professional commitments. I fully accept however that this does not excuse my dishonesty,” said Eisenhauer in a statement to the medical tribunal. “I am thoroughly ashamed of my behavior in July 2024 and determined never to compromise the medical profession or myself again.”
The incident occurred on July 17, 2024, according to tribunal records.
That day, Eisenhauer was scheduled to finish work at 4:45 pm and she admitted that she feels “worried” that she won’t be able to leave on time if she ends up booked for some last minute appointments.
She went on to book two face-to-face appointments for the end of her shift, even though she had already consulted with both patients earlier that day.
Two days later, a colleague in her practice noticed that there were no notes from one of the appointments.
“I remember feeling embarrassed and worried about what my colleagues would think of me making the reservation,” Eisenhauer said at the hearing, adding that she continued to add to the notes, even though the consultation never took place.
“I did it in the middle of my workday without thinking,” she said. “I did not consider the consequences of writing this entry at the time. I only remember my worry and embarrassment.”
When her actions finally resulted in a “disciplinary meeting” at her practice, Dr. Eisenhauer – who initially denied any wrongdoing – referred herself to the General Medical Council on July 17, 2024.
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Eisenhauer stated on cross-examination that there was nothing unusual about the day of the accident and that she simply failed to make adequate backup provision for child care.
“I am fully aware of the importance of honesty and probity in my personal and professional life, and the impact that dishonest actions can have on the profession and public trust in the profession,” she continued. “I am thoroughly ashamed of my behavior in July 2024 and determined never to compromise the medical profession or myself again.”
During the hearing, her legal representative alleged that Eisenhaur was not sleeping well and that if she had failed to pick up her children on time that day, she “could have lost that child care provision.”
In a statement, tribunal chairman Neil Dalton said Eisenhauer “showed a reckless disregard for patient safety and professional standards.”
“Her actions undermined collaborative work, and betrayed the trust her colleagues needed to place in her integrity as they worked alongside her every day,” added Dalton.
In their final judgement, the tribunal considered all factors, including the “falsification of records” – and said they considered taking no action due to the “exceptional circumstances” of the case. However, in the end they decided on a five-month suspension.
On Wednesday, December 31, Stenhouse Medical Center shared a statement on social media about the incident.
“When concerns were first raised in July 2024, the Practice carried out a comprehensive internal investigation following which appropriate action was taken including a self-referral to the GMC by Dr Eisenhauer,” the practice wrote on Facebook. “In the intervening period, the Partners have provided ongoing support to Dr. Eisenhauer and have maintained full confidence in her clinical abilities.”
“Our focus continues to be supporting the well-being of Dr. Eisenhauer, our staff and patients while delivering compassionate, safe and reliable care,” they added.
Stenhouse Medical Center did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional comment.
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