Dr Edward Gonzales-Gomez, pictured leaving a hearing in Manchester yesterday, allegedly manhandled the 49-year-old man’s penis
A GP touched a bus driver’s penis and gave him an unwarranted prostate examination during a routine physical examination, a tribunal has heard.
Dr Edward Gonzales-Gomez, 46, of Hackney, East London, allegedly manhandled the 49-year-old man’s penis and checked out his prostate area.
The family doctor is said to have been asked to provide a medical report about the driver for Transport for London and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
During the examinations, GP Gonzales-Gomez allegedly examined the Portuguese patient’s prostate for ten minutes – yet failed to say why he was carrying out the procedures.
He also failed to record details of the meeting or offer him a chaperone, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing in Manchester was told.
Gonzales-Gomez, who has almost 17 years’ experience practising medicine in Britain, said he could not recall the consultation but a rectal examination would have been ‘necessary.’
The alleged encounter occurred in June 2015 when the Portuguese man who spoke little English attended the Monteiro Clinic in Clapham, South London, to get a medical assessment for his ‘Group Two’ licence which would enable him to drive lorries or buses.
The man, known as Patient A, told the hearing: ‘I remember Dr Gonzalez-Gomez asking me some basic questions like if I was diabetic.
Gonzales-Gomez, who has almost 17 years’ experience practising medicine in Britain, said he could not recall the consultation but a rectal examination would have been ‘necessary’
‘He also took my blood pressure and weighed me and then I remember Dr Gonzalez-Gomez asking whether I have ever had a prostate exam before.
‘I said “yes” and he asked how long ago. I told Dr Gonzalez-Gomez that my GP had said that I should have a blood test next time and not the physical prostate exam.
‘But Dr Gonzalez-Gomez said that blood tests were not enough to check for prostate cancer and that it is still best to do an exam.
‘My niece is a doctor in Brazil and she has also said this to me in the past so I agreed with Dr Gonzalez-Gomez and said I would have the exam.
‘After examining my penis and stomach, Dr Gonzalez-Gomez then asked me to bend my knees upwards, in the same kind of position that a woman would have a pelvic exam.
‘The first time that I had a prostate exam I did feel uncomfortable and vulnerable because I didn’t know what to expect but this time I felt fine about having it done.
‘However, at no point did Dr Gonzalez Gomez explain to me what he was going to do. Dr Gonzalez-Gomez didn’t say anything to me during the exam.
‘I felt that Dr Gonzalez-Gomez had been very calm up until this point and he then became agitated, in a rush and uncomfortable. He then replied “just a little bit more”.’
Location: The alleged encounter occurred in June 2015 when the Portuguese man attended the Monteiro Clinic in Clapham, South London, to get a medical assessment
But Gonzales-Gomez, who denies sexually motivated misconduct, said: ‘I don’t remember the specific consultation. I saw 34 patients that day and two had prostate examinations.
‘But Patient A came to get the two forms completed by a doctor and although I have no recollection of what he told me at all during the consultation, I would have been reliant on what he told me about his history.
‘Usually I would use slides to show where the prostate is, explain that it’s uncomfortable but only lasts a few seconds. I would usually offer a chaperone and would always use the screen. I would not be handling the penis.
‘I don’t remember whether I did or not offer a chaperone. There was no chaperone in the room and I didn’t record anything about a chaperone. I don’t remember the patient saying he was in pain and asking how long it would take.
‘I don’t regularly do rectal examinations when people are there for taxi driver forms to be filled out – it would be very rare. I have no recollection of what Patient A said or why I did one. Patient A may say I handled his penis but I have no recollection of it.
‘There was no issue when I examined the prostate – there was no reason this should have taken more than seconds – it would be at the most 10 seconds unless I was not sure about something.
‘My actions towards this patient was not sexually motivated, it was a perfectly normal consultation there was no pain or discomfort.
‘It was a busy afternoon, I had to complete two forms that are quite long. I always allow the patient to have some privacy.’
The hearing continues.