Top doctor from Biddenham struck off medical register after spying on schoolgirl in the shower

One of Britain’s most senior NHS doctors has been struck off the medical register after secretly spying on a 15-year-old girl when she took a shower in his home.
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Biddenham resident Dr Jonathan Fielden, blamed pressure at work for his behaviour and avoided jail when he was sentenced last year.

But his case was referred to the General Medical Council for investigation - and this week he has been erased from the register, which means he can never practice again.

The hearing was told how Dr Fielden, who earned £225,000 a year as Deputy Medical Director for NHS England, was in the loft directly above the bathroom of his house.

Jonathan FieldenJonathan Fielden
Jonathan Fielden

The girl was taking a shower at the time and Dr Fielden looked down a ventilation pipe at her for "up to 15 or 20 seconds."

The incident was not reported to the police at the time, but was raised a few months later after the girl spoke to a school counsellor about it.

Dr Fielden, who lives in Regents Mews, was charged with voyeurism and resigned his job. In court he admitted the act was for his own sexual gratification and in February 2019 was sentenced to five months imprisonment suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and was placed on the Sex Offender Register for seven years.

This month a GMC hearing had to decide its own punishment for the doctor, who is an anaesthetics and intensive care consultant

The hearing was told any form of sexually motivated conviction by a member of the medical profession is likely to be considered serious and undermines public confidence in the medical profession.

But Dr Fielden's counsel submitted that Dr Fielden looked through the hole in the pipe momentarily and witnessed the girl and stated that he did not avert his eyes quickly enough.

He submitted that doctors must be trustworthy and conduct themselves appropriately in their public and private lives as trust and integrity are irreplaceable components of the obligations of a doctor.

Mr Morgan submitted that the Sanctions Guidance (‘the SG’) expressly states that sexual misconduct undermines public confidence in the profession. Furthermore, he submitted that the fact that Dr Fielden’s conviction involves a child is an aggravating feature and drew the Tribunal’s attention to the harmful psychological impact the incident of voyeurism had upon Person A.

The Tribunal agreed the nature of Dr Fielden’s conviction was a breach of "fundamental tenets of the profession" and failed to maintain the high standards of behaviour to be expected of a medical practitioner.

It considered issuing a suspension order but concluded that erasure from the register was "only proportionate sanction" to maintain public confidence in the medical profession and to uphold proper professional standards and conduct for members.