Doctor must be chaperoned with female patients

A senior surgeon in Sussex has been told he must not carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone present.

Jeremy Stuart Clark is a general surgeon specialising in keyhole surgery at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSx) and the Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital, and is described on the Nuffield Health website as one Brighton's "most experienced consultant surgeons".

A ruling by the General Medical Council (GMC) in April imposed interim conditions on Clark's fitness to practice, including not carrying out consultations without a chaperone apart from in "life-saving circumstances".

Clark did not respond to the BBC's request for a comment.

According to the GMC, during any investigation if information arises that a doctor may present a risk, including to patient safety, the case will be referred to an Interim Orders Tribunal (IOT) to ask for action in respect of the doctor's registration.

A spokesperson at the GMC said: "Dr Jeremy Clark is currently interim restricted pending the conclusion of a GMC investigation.

"Dr Clark was given interim conditions on April 22 2026 by an Interim Orders Tribunal at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service."

The conditions imposed on Clark include that, except in life-threatening emergencies, he must not carry out consultations with female patients without a chaperone present.

He must keep a log detailing every case where he has carried out a consultation with such a patient, which must be signed by the chaperone.

He must keep a log detailing every case where he has carried out a consultation with such a patient in a life-threatening emergency, without a chaperone present.

UHSx, which oversees hospitals including the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and Worthing Hospital, confirmed that a member of its staff was being investigated by the GMC over their conduct.

"We cannot publicly discuss details of any individual case, but our actions are driven by the overriding need to keep patients safe from the risk of harm," a spokesperson said.

A Nuffield Health spokesperson added: "We suspended the practising privileges of Mr Jeremy Clark while we carry out an investigation.

"Whilst this is ongoing, you will understand that we are unable to comment further."

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