Dr Tomasz Fryzlewicz, 62, moved to the UK in 2006 from Krakow and has worked at various NHS hospitals
A Polish heart doctor who was branded a risk to patients and suspended over his poor command of English has been given a seventh opportunity to pass his language exams by a disciplinary panel.
Dr Tomasz Fryzlewicz, 62, moved to the UK in 2006 from Krakow and has worked at various NHS hospitals as a locum as well as a non-clinical role analysing echocardiogram data for clinical trials.
But the cardiologist, who qualified in medicine 35 years ago, was reported to the General Medical Council in 2014 after repeatedly failing English language tests which evaluated his speaking, listening, reading and writing.
He has since appeared before practice medicine panels on an annual basis after failing various resits despite insisting he watched BBC TV shows and listened to Radio 4 in a bid to pick up better English.
Initially Fryzlewicz, now based in Plymouth, was allowed to work in hospitals under supervision but at his third tribunal in 2017 he was suspended from practising for six months after he failed to improve his English to a required standard.
He was readmitted to work under supervision in 2018 but was banned again in 2020 for 12 months.
Today it emerged Fryzlewicz had been suspended for a further 10 months after he refused to take another resit having argued he needed more time during the exam to give him a chance of passing.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service stopped short of suspending him for life to give him another chance of passing either the International English Language Testing System or the medical version of the Occupational English Test.
He cannot be struck off over language issues.
The doctor had earlier condemned GMC investigators as ‘un-humanitarian bureaucrats’ and accused them of engaging in a ‘witch hunt’.
He also claimed he was a victim of ‘indirect discrimination’ due to his nationality.
In a letter the doctor alleged the GMC ‘put pressure’ on an IELTS examiner not to give him higher marks and also on a senior colleague to change their ‘positive opinion about him.
The note added: ‘GMC bureaucrats are using unworkable and disproportioned measures, rather than looking at a workable solution to my situation.’
Previous hearings were told Fryzlewicz had been fired from the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow and University College London Hospital due to concerns about his language skills before being offered a post in cardiology at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
That offer fell through after he sent various emails in broken English in which wrote of sending ‘a massage’ and adding: ‘I still don’t get answer and nobody contact with me. Once more I sent this information and please contact with me.’
Previous hearings heard that Dr Fryzlewicz was offered a post in cardiology at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford (pictured) but the offer fell through after he sent emails in broken English
He first took the IELTS test in October 2014 and was required to get a minimum score of 7.5 but only got an overall mark of just 5.5.
He then took another test of his own volition but only scored 6.5. He re-sat again the following year but only got 5.5.
Fryzlewicz later pledged to begin 250 hours of English lessons and agreed to work under the supervision of a consultant but was still unable to attain a score of 7.5 in his IELTS exam despite repeated reviews of his performance.
The latest hearing in Manchester was told Fryzlewicz has since passed English and GCSE level and he produced a list of books he had read plus certificates relating to English language he had recently undertaken.
But counsel for the GMC Peter Warne said: ‘The test for Dr Fryzlewicz to establish that he has remediated the concerns raised by the last Tribunal had not been met.
‘His accusations are groundless and the onus is on him to demonstrate he has a level of English language for him to work safely as a doctor.
‘He has not done that, despite being invited or directed to obtain satisfactory results in the IELTS tests.
‘Realistically, the only way for Dr Fryzlewicz to restore his fitness to practise medicine would be for him to pass. Instead he has attempted to set a standard acceptable to himself. He has ignored what he has been asked to do and seeks to blame others.
Fryzlewicz, who represented himself, claimed his skills would be particularly helpful in treating patients during the coronavirus pandemic and said he had originally been given a licence to practise in 2007 when he submitted an IELTS score of 6.0.
He said because of a change in the law, he now needed a score of 7.5.
The doctor told the hearing: ‘I am surprised by the level of detail the GMC has gone into in investigating my language skills.
‘They have been using un-humanitarian methods. Each sanction has been imposed unfairly and made it harder for me to improve my language skills.
‘As I am not fluent in English, it has been difficult for me to defend myself at these hearings. It’s been stressful and its had an impact on my personal life and finances. I should be able to return to work as a doctor in order to earn a living and support his family.
‘I achieved good test scores in some parts, such as speaking and listening and I have passed courses in English Language, including a university course.
‘Suspension is not the most appropriate sanction in this case, as it would be unworkable and “unproportionate” and would be against the patient, myself and the idea of medicine’.
When asked why he had not taken a IELTS tests since the 2020 hearing, Fryzlewicz claimed it was ‘not a good tool for him to demonstrate his language skills’ and he he needed more time to pass the tests than is allowed.
But he insisted he was ‘ready to take any test necessary’ and that he should now be ‘very near the pass scores of the IELTS test’.
MPTS chairman Alice Moller said: ‘Dr Fryzlewicz has continued to lack insight into the importance of demonstrating the requisite English language skills through the tests authorised by the GMC.
‘He has made positive progress including completing an English Language course, achieving a GCSE qualification in English Language and reading several books in English but he has previously disregarded invitations or directions to take the relevant tests.
‘OET tests are now offered in 20 locations around the country. It takes 2-3 weeks for tests to be booked, with a date for the test given to the candidate approximately 2 weeks after this. The test costs £180 and test results are provided to the candidates within a month.
‘A period of 10 months suspension would be appropriate, to give Dr Fryzlewicz the time to complete an OET or IELTS test and this would ensure patient safety.
‘The onus will be on Dr Fryzlewicz to demonstrate he has a good command of the English language.’
An eighth disciplinary hearing will be held next year to review the doctor’s progress.
Previously, only doctors from outside the EU could have their language skills tested by the GMC but this was reviewed following the case of a Nigerian-born German doctor who injected a patient with a lethal dose of morphine, in part due to his poor English whilst on his first shift as a locum doctor in 2008.