Former Surgeon Alleges Years of Misdiagnosis, Forced Medication, and ECT Abuse
A retired Bristol obstetrician and gynecologist is speaking out about what he describes as a decade of wrongful psychiatric treatment following a professional dispute, raising concerns about the potential for coercion and misdiagnosis within the UK’s mental health system.
The physician, who wishes to remain anonymous, detailed a series of events beginning in 2008 with a medicolegal case brought against him by a colleague, Dr. Dixon, following a complex surgical case. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing and evidence emerging of widespread negligence by Dr. Dixon – who was later struck off the medical register for falsifying records and harming 460 patients – the physician experienced significant distress. He alleges that a subsequent psychiatrist prematurely diagnosed him with “agitated depression” after a single half-hour consultation and initiated a course of increasingly potent medications, including antipsychotics.
The physician claims he was subjected to forced medication, multiple hospital admissions – some without proper legal assessment – and ultimately, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) despite repeatedly refusing it. He asserts that the ECT caused severe and lasting memory loss. “I was losing my memory for all past events,” he stated, adding that he had to deliberately eat before ECT sessions to avoid being anaesthetized and forced to undergo the procedure. The National Health Service describes ECT as a treatment for severe depression, but acknowledges potential side effects including memory loss. Later, a consultant allegedly changed his diagnosis to frontotemporal dementia to absolve the trust of responsibility, leading to a move to a residential home under a Deprivation of Liberty order.
After 18 months off medication, the physician reports regaining cognitive function, though he continues to experience mobility issues and memory deficits. He is now seeking to have the Deprivation of Liberty order lifted and is attempting to raise awareness about his experience, hoping to prevent similar situations for other doctors and patients. The case highlights growing concerns about the potential for overdiagnosis and the use of coercive treatments within psychiatric care, as explored by Mad in America, a website dedicated to examining the psychiatric system.
Officials at the relevant NHS trusts have not yet commented on the specific allegations, but have stated they are committed to providing safe and appropriate care for all patients.
