A United Kingdom medical tribunal has suspended Dr. Helen Eisenhauer, a general practitioner at Stenhouse Medical Centre in Arnold, Nottinghamshire, for five months after she admitted to falsifying patient appointments so she could leave her shift early to pick up her children from childcare. The case was heard by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) following an internal investigation and referral by her employer and herself.
On 17 July 2024, Eisenhauer, who has worked at the practice since 2018, scheduled two face-to-face appointments at the end of her shift, despite having already consulted the same patients earlier that day by telephone. Her working day officially ended at 4:45 p.m., and she was concerned that if she had booked last-minute appointments, she might be delayed and miss the 6 p.m. childcare pick-up for her children.
A colleague noticed anomalies in the patient appointment notes, triggering an internal investigation. Eisenhauer initially denied wrongdoing but later referred herself to the General Medical Council (GMC) and admitted she had made the entries.
The tribunal concluded that Eisenhauer’s actions constituted serious professional misconduct, noting that booking fictitious patient appointments and altering records demonstrated a reckless disregard for patient safety and professional standards. Tribunal chairman Neil Dalton stated her conduct undermined collaborative working and the trust her colleagues placed in her probity as a clinician.
Although Eisenhauer expressed deep remorse, acknowledging that she had failed to balance personal and professional demands and was “thoroughly ashamed” of her behaviour, the tribunal ruled that a five-month suspension was appropriate to reflect the gravity of her actions and to send a clear message to the profession and public.
At the hearing, Eisenhauer told the tribunal that she had been struggling to balance the demands of her career and family life, including sleep deprivation linked to her childcare responsibilities. She said she had been worried about being late for nursery collection and acknowledged that while the pressures were real, they did not excuse her dishonesty.
Childcare provision in the UK can vary by region and employment status. Many working parents rely on after-school clubs, nurseries, or formal childcare arrangements with specified pick-up times that must be respected to continue accessing care, conditions that can create scheduling pressures for professionals with fixed shift patterns. The tribunal heard that Eisenhauer was concerned that missing the childcare deadline could jeopardise her childcare arrangements.
The issue came to light when a colleague at Stenhouse Medical Centre noticed that one of the appointments Eisenhauer had scheduled did not have accompanying consultation notes. This inconsistency prompted questions about the appointments. During follow-up, Eisenhauer added notes for the appointments that had never occurred, further complicating the issue and contributing to the finding of misconduct.
After a disciplinary meeting at her practice, Eisenhauer self-referred to the GMC on 17 July 2024, accepting responsibility for her actions and participating in the subsequent proceedings.
In a social media statement, the Stenhouse Medical Centre said that when concerns were first raised in July 2024, the practice conducted a comprehensive internal investigation and supported Eisenhauer’s referral to the GMC. The practice affirmed confidence in her clinical abilities and said it continued to support her and its staff while maintaining patient care.
This case arises amid ongoing challenges for General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK, where healthcare services face increasing demand, workforce shortages, and pressures on appointment access. NHS data has shown that many patients face long waits for GP consultations, and clinicians often work under significant time constraints. The Eisenhauer case highlights the tension between personal life and professional responsibilities for healthcare workers.
Medical records and appointment schedules are considered official clinical documents in the UK’s NHS system. Listing a patient appointment that did not occur and later entering notes for a fictitious encounter can affect:
Patient medical histories
Clinic workload and access
Trust in clinician documentation
Legal accountability and professional standards
Doctors are regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC) to uphold these standards to protect patient interests and public confidence in healthcare.
(Rh/TL)