Leading Muslim doctor faces professional conduct hearing over homophobic letter
A fitness to practise hearing has been told that a GP who wrote a homophobic and transphobic letter to a medical magazine has changed his story several times.
The offending medic, Dr Muhammad Siddiq, is President of the Islamic Medical Association.
He wrote in a letter to doctor’s magazine Pulse:
“There is punishment and fine if you throw rubbish or filth in the streets. The gays are worse than the ordinary careless citizen.
“They are causing the spread of disease with their irresponsible behaviour. They are the root of many sexually transmitted diseases.”
The letter went on to call a depressed transsexual awaiting gender reassignment “twisted.”
Dr Siddiq denies that he authored the letter and claims his son was playing a “cynical spoof” on him by forcing him to sign the letter and sending it to Pulse, a magazine for GPs.
When the magazine contacted Dr Siddiq for further comment, he made no effort to deny his views.
The magazine published extracts of the letter and his employers, Walsall PCT Primary Care Trusts, called him to discuss his views.
He wrote to the PTC and apologised for the letter.
“I categorically and unreservedly apologise for the hurt and offence I may have caused to anyone who may have read my letter,” he wrote.
“I have practised as a GP for more than 30 years and have never discriminated on any grounds. I would never refuse any treatment because of someone’s sexuality.
“I just cannot understand how or why I could have said this in my letter.”
A fitness to practise hearing in Manchester heard that just a few days later he claimed his original draft letter had supported better treatment for gay patients.
The hearing continues.
