A STIRLING GP is being investigated over allegations that he fondled a vulnerable patient's breasts during a "sexually motivated" examination.

A tribunal, which got underway today, will determine whether Dr Jahangir Khan is fit to practise after claims that he told the woman to take off her bra, "squeezed" her nipples and failed to offer her a chaperone during the consultation in July 2018.

The GP, who qualified in medicine at Dundee University in 1995, is also alleged to have failed to properly investigate the patient's presenting symptoms, which included a swollen ankle, or to order tests to rule out heart failure.

The allegations are being considered at a hearing of the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service (MPTS) following an investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC), the regulatory body for doctors.

The tribunal is scheduled to continue until December 17.

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The woman, known only as Patient A, is described as being "vulnerable" at "all material times" during her contact with Dr Khan.

It is alleged that on June 12 2008, Dr Khan "failed to arrange an appropriate follow-up consultation" with Patient A after initiating treatment for a new diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

On July 11 2018, during a consultation with Patient A, Dr Khan is alleged to have asked her if "she had ever had her breasts examined" before carrying out an "inappropriate" examination in which he told her to sit on the bed and unfasten her bra.

It is alleged that Dr Khan then put his left hand on her right breast "and tapped down on it"; held her right breast in his hand; put his right hand on her left breast "and tapped down on it"; then

held her left breast in his right hand.

Dr Khan is then alleged to have "placed both hands on her breast and squeezed on the nipples twice", before telling Patient A to 'fix herself up’ and ‘fasten her bra’ "or words to that effect".

It is alleged that Dr Khan failed to obtain informed consent for this examination, failed to offer Patient A a chaperone, and failed to undertake an appropriate assessment of her presenting symptoms in that he did not "undertake any baseline observations" or "quantify the extent" of her ankle oedema - a build up of fluid which causes tissues to become swollen and puffy.

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It is also alleged that Dr Khan did not examine Patient A's chest, consider a diagnosis of heart failure, or order appropriate tests to exclude a diagnosis of heart failure.

His records of the consultation allegedly failed to make an adequate record of Patient A’s breast examination, presenting complaint, or diagnostic plan.

Dr Khan's conduct during this examination was allegedly "sexually motivated" and "not clinically indicated".

The MPTS can suspend or erase doctors whose fitness to practise is found to be impaired.