Local area better ‘Jew free,’ says doctor found not racist by tribunal

Dr Dimitrios Psaroudakis, a former-consultant gynecologist for The Evewell fertility clinic, was found by a tribunal to be “not racist” after claiming that the London Borough of Hammersmith would be better “Jew free,” according to multiple media reports from Tuesday.

Psaroudakis had previously described Jewish colleagues in emails as “leprechaun[s]’, “alky,” “s**t for brains” and “big nose,” according to the Telegraph.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service found that while Psaroudakis was not racist, he was “comfortable with using discriminatory language.”

A medic was told he could keep his job after saying Hammersmith would be better “Jew free”.The @gmcuk ruled that he was not racist but “comfortable w discriminatory language@.They let a racist get away w it. https://t.co/rUNh9JVQRV

— Rabbi Zvi Solomons (@RabbiZvi) February 10, 2024

“The evidence suggested that it was Dr Psaroudakis' common practice to pick out and use what could be considered offensive or derogatory characteristics about people whom he did not like or get along with, and liberally use those terms to describe them,” the tribunal found, as cited by the Mail. “Rather than use someone's name or work title, Dr Psaroudakis preferred to make unpleasant and unacceptable references to protected characteristics of colleagues.

 ”The Tribunal makes no finding that Dr Psaroudakis is a racist but is satisfied that he is someone who is quite comfortable with using discriminatory language.”

Psaroudakis resigned from his role at the fertility clinic in September 2022 and recieved a 3 month suspension in January 2024, according to the Mail. The suspension will expire in April of 2024, enabling Psaroudakis to return to practise. 

Other controversial interactions and messages from Psaroudakis

The Mail reported that Psaroudakis allegedly, upon hearing of the suicide of a patient’s husband, claimed that the husband had ended his life after smelling the wife’s shoes. Psaroudakis reportedly claimed that he had misheard the patient, and thought the husband had “passed out” as opposed to “passed away.”

The tribunal found the consultant’s explanation unsatisfactory, describing it as “appalling, disrespectful and morally reprehensible,” according to the source.

The Mail also reported that the doctor had made a number of sexually explicit and sexist remarks, including sending an email that said “If we hire another woman I’m going to kill myself.” It was also reported that the doctor had sent several sexually explicit messages about “lube” and “gregging”- an act that involves performing a sexual act on a stolen hat.

How has the 3-month suspension been received?

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service said that the suspension reflected the “level of seriousness of the misconduct.”

The tribunal also claimed that Psaroudakis “​​admitted his wrongdoing, made full admissions to the allegation, and has taken steps to remediate his actions. 

“He has made genuine expressions of regret, remorse and apology, and not sought to blame others. 

“Dr Psaroudakis self-referred to the GMC and has fully engaged with his regulator and with this process and he cooperated with the GMC by disclosing the emails and messages of his comments when requested. His comments were intended to be private and never meant to be made public.”

While the doctor has apologized, not everybody is as forgiving of the comments. Gary Mond, Chairman of the National Jewish Assembly, told the Jerusalem Post “It is rare that one can ever describe a tribunal finding as a joke, but that has to be any reasonably-minded person's reaction upon hearing this tribunal's verdict on Psaroudakis. 

“The fact that he makes such loose and insulting remarks about Jees as a whole, as opposed to any individual Jews is a principal indicator of racism. The tribunal's finding is disgraceful.

“Furthermore, one can only imagine the nervousness, and possibly outright fear, felt by Jewish patients being forced to be placed under the care of those who hate Jews."

Campaign Against Antisemitism also took issue with the tribunal results, writing on X that  “The General Medical Council (GMC) sought only a suspension, and the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service (which hears disciplinary cases for the GMC) concluded that it ‘makes no finding that he is a racist but is satisfied that he is someone who is quite comfortable with using discriminatory language'."

“He will be eligible to work again in April. In other words, someone who uses language like this is apparently not antisemitic and, notwithstanding his comfort with allegedly using language that is 'discriminatory' towards Jews, is fit to practice medicine after a slap on the wrist."

“We will be appealing this abysmal miscarriage of justice to the Professional Standards Authority.”

A doctor allegedly said that Hammersmith would be better if it was “Jew free”, made repeated references to Jews as “yews” (because of his accent) and used this as “shorthand”, called his Jewish colleagues “big nose”, “leprechaun”, “alky” and “s*** for brains”, and referred to the…

— Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) February 12, 2024