Review of police surgeon's cases

North Wales Police are reviewing cases involving one of their own surgeons, after it emerged he was not registered with the General Medical Council.

Dr Robin Williams worked on inquiries despite being "erased" from the register two years ago for not paying fees in an "administrative error".

Dr Williams, police surgeon for Flintshire, has been suspended while the force investigates.

The police stress there are no question marks over his competency as a doctor.

Police surgeons are often called to crime scenes where bodies are discovered, when sudden deaths occur, and often when forensic examinations are required.

They may also have to assess whether people are fit to be interviewed, and take blood samples from suspected drink drivers - which could be used to help convict them.

This has the potential to open up a huge can of worms Solicitor Francesca Dowse

Dr Williams is a police surgeon in the force's Eastern division, covering the counties of Flintshire and Wrexham.

It is possible cases he worked on while he was not registered, could be challenged, according to medical negligence solicitor Francesca Dowse.

A solicitor with Manchester firm Irwin Mitchell - which represented families of some of Harold Shipman's victims - she said: "This has the potential to open up a huge can of worms.

"The consequences could be very far-reaching depending on the cases he has been involved in. And at nearly two years, we could be talking about quite a few cases."

North Wales Police confirmed on Wednesday that it has ordered a review of the cases Dr Williams worked on since he failed to register two years ago.

In a statement, they said: "North Wales Police can confirm that we conducted an investigation into Dr Williams.

"No criminal charges will be put against Dr Williams but the investigation disclosed that the doctor had failed, through an administration error, to pay his fees to the General Medical Council.

"The doctor having moved address, failed to realise that his fees had not been paid and that he had been erased from the GMC register.

If you don't hold registration with the GMC you should not be working in the UK as a registered medical practitioner General Medical Council

"The police, working in partnership with the CPS, are reviewing all cases that Dr Williams has been involved in whilst he was erased from the register to establish if there is a need to re-open any cases."

The statement added: "Dr Williams has been practicing as a doctor since 1967 and we stress there is no question as to his competency as a doctor. His erasure from the register was purely as a result of the administration error."

Although he faces no criminal charges, the doctor has been suspended by North Wales Police while an internal investigation is conducted.

A spokeswoman for the GMC said: "Dr Robin Derwent Williams does not hold registration at the present time. He was erased for administrative reasons on August 9, 2004."

"If you don't hold registration with the GMC you should not be working in the UK as a registered medical practitioner."

Dr Williams issued a statement through the Medical Protection Society.

He said: "This circumstance occurred because of an administrative error.

"It has brought about no gain on my part or any lowering of my medical standards, which I have been pursuing for forty years while providing dedicated practice to the general public."