By Isaac Mission
A Nigerian-trained doctor has been removed from the UK medical register after a tribunal found that he repeatedly provided false information in applications for NHS positions in south-east London.
Dr Stephen Igwe was found to have misrepresented his academic qualifications, professional experience and employment history while applying for medical roles.
He reportedly blamed inaccuracies in some of his applications on a supposed virtual assistant based in his home country, but later admitted that he had invented the explanation to avoid taking responsibility.
Igwe graduated from Abia State University in Nigeria in 2021. In July 2024, while working as a junior clinical fellow in neonatology at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, he applied for a senior clinical fellow position in paediatric emergency medicine at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
In his application, he claimed he had obtained a distinction in his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree in 2019. The tribunal found that he actually graduated in 2021 without the distinction he claimed.
He also overstated his position at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, presenting himself as a middle-grade clinical fellow in paediatric emergency medicine from July 2023, despite actually holding a junior clinical fellow position in neonatology under a six-month contract beginning in March 2024.
The doctor also allegedly named a junior colleague as his senior manager and referee without that colleague’s consent.
Concerns emerged when a consultant at King’s College Hospital attempted to verify the reference but could not contact the individual named. Further enquiries with staff at Lewisham and Greenwich revealed that the information supplied by Igwe did not match his actual employment.
When questioned about the discrepancies, Igwe reportedly maintained that he was working in the paediatric emergency department and held the position he had claimed. The matter was subsequently referred to the General Medical Council (GMC).
The tribunal heard that the false information continued in later applications. In November 2024, while applying for a position with Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, Igwe stated that he was not under investigation by the GMC. He repeated the denial in another application to the same trust in January 2025.
Igwe eventually admitted the allegations and explained that he had acted out of fear that the end of his employment contract could affect his visa and income and force him to return to Nigeria.
However, the tribunal also raised concerns about his clinical competence.
A GMC performance assessment carried out in February 2025 reportedly found his clinical management unacceptable, particularly in areas including prescribing and basic life support. Assessors concluded that the deficiencies presented a potential direct risk to patient safety.
Following the proceedings, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal concluded that Igwe should be removed from the UK medical register.
The decision was based on two separate findings: serious professional misconduct arising from repeated dishonesty and deficient professional performance relating to his clinical skills.
As a result, Igwe is no longer permitted to practise medicine in the UK.