Demand for Accountability, Justice and Reform Concerning Wrongful Dismissal, Regulatory Abuse and Blacklisting by the NHS, General Medical Council (GMC), Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Associated Bodies

Preliminary Notice: Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Listing

Dr David Cartland has recently been added to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) records as an alleged risk to public adults and children, despite the absence of any criminal conviction, judicial finding, or proven safeguarding determination following a lawful trial.

This DBS listing has occurred subsequent to his dismissal from employment and his erasure from the General Medical Council (GMC) register, and represents a further escalation of punitive action that effectively prevents any form of professional or voluntary work, amounting to permanent civil and professional exclusion.

The designation of an individual as a risk to adults and children, in the absence of criminal findings or transparent due process, raises grave concerns regarding proportionality, procedural fairness, human rights compliance, and misuse of safeguarding mechanisms.

This action compounds the harm already suffered by Dr David Cartland and exemplifies a systemic failure in the interaction between NHS employers, regulators, and the DBS, resulting in punishment without trial and irreversible reputational damage.

Introduction
We, the inhabitants of England, acting in the public interest, issue this formal notice of concern and demand for accountability regarding the unlawful treatment of Dr David Cartland, a highly experienced GP with an exceptional and previously unblemished professional career, who was wrongfully dismissed and subsequently struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC).

Despite years of dedicated service, clinical competence, and professional distinction as a GP, Dr David Cartland has been subjected to career-ending sanctions without fair process, proportionality, or judicial determination, resulting in severe professional, financial, and personal harm.

This notice addresses the systemic misuse of power by NHS Trusts, the GMC, and the DBS, together with associated bodies, resulting in loss of livelihood, reputational destruction, psychological injury, and denial of access to justice—without charge, trial, or lawful adjudication.

Section 1: Background and Protected Status

Dr David Cartland was a senior GP with an exceptional career record, recognised for his clinical expertise, commitment to patient safety, and adherence to professional standards.

Prior to his dismissal and erasure from the medical register, there was no criminal conviction, no judicial finding, and no proven misconduct sufficient to justify the most severe professional sanctions imposed.

He raised concerns in the public interest relating to:

Patient safety and quality of care
Unsafe systems and governance failures. Risk management and professional standards
Regulatory conduct and accountability

As a whistleblower, Dr David Cartland is protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), the Employment Rights Act 1996, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Instead of protection, these disclosures were followed by dismissal, referral to the GMC, erasure from the medical register, and subsequent DBS listing, constituting retaliatory and punitive action rather than lawful regulation.

Section 2: Wrongful Dismissal and Denial of Due Process

A clear pattern of institutional abuse is evident in the treatment of Dr David Cartland, including:

Termination of employment without a fair or balanced disciplinary process

Escalation to regulatory referral as a means of punishment
Imposition of the most severe sanction available—GMC erasure
Permanent exclusion from professional practice as a GP without criminal charge, conviction, or trial
Prolonged, opaque, and procedurally unfair processes

This represents punishment without trial, fundamentally incompatible with the rule of law and principles of natural justice.

Section 3: Regulatory and Systemic Failures

The case of Dr David Cartland reflects wider systemic failures, including:

Misuse of GMC fitness-to-practise procedures to resolve employment disputes

Failure to apply proportionality or consider remediation or lesser sanctions
DBS disclosures based on allegations rather than proven facts
Failure to distinguish safeguarding from retaliation
Lack of transparency, accountability, and independent oversight

These practices result in unlawful professional blacklisting, permanently barring individuals from practising as a GP or consultant and from wider participation in society.

Section 4: Legal Authority and Rights Violations

The actions taken against Dr David Cartland breach established legal protections, including:

Employment Rights Act 1996 (sections 94 and 47B) – protection from unfair dismissal and whistleblower detriment

Human Rights Act 1998 –

Article 6: right to a fair hearing
Article 8: right to private life, reputation, and family life

Common law principles of natural justice, including the right to be heard and freedom from arbitrary punishment

Collectively, these breaches amount to institutional misconduct and abuse of regulatory power.

Section 5: Harm Caused

As a result of these actions, Dr David Cartland has suffered:

Loss of career, income, and professional standing as a GP.

Severe psychological and emotional harm
Reputational damage without judicial finding
Permanent exclusion from his profession and related fields

The striking off of a GP with an exceptional career record also represents a loss to patients, the NHS workforce, and public trust, while deterring others from raising legitimate concerns.

Section 6: Immediate Demands

We formally demand:

Immediate suspension and review of the DBS listing against Dr David Cartland

Independent judicial review of his dismissal, GMC erasure, and DBS inclusion
Removal or correction of unjust and disproportionate DBS disclosures
Guaranteed access to independent legal representation and trauma-informed support
Protection from further retaliation, harassment, or professional blacklisting

Section 7: Transparency and Accountability

We demand full disclosure of:

NHS & GMC decision-making leading to the dismissal of Dr David Cartland

GMC reasoning and proportionality assessments in imposing erasure
DBS criteria relied upon in the absence of criminal findings
Any coordination or collusion between employers, regulators, and associated bodies

An independent public inquiry must be established to investigate these practices.

Section 8: Redress and Compensation

Dr David Cartland is entitled to:

Full compensation for loss of earnings, career damage, and pension loss

Restorative justice and reinstatement of professional reputation where misconduct is unproven
Public acknowledgment of the injustice suffered

Section 9: Systemic Reform

We call for urgent reform, including:

Clear separation of employment disputes from regulatory and DBS processes

Mandatory enforcement of whistleblower protections
Time-limited, transparent regulatory investigations
Independent oversight of the GMC and DBS
Prohibition of career-ending sanctions without judicial determination

Section 10: Public Apology and Ongoing Oversight

We demand:

A formal public apology from NHS Trusts, GMC, DBS, Media and regulatory bodies involved

Public reporting on reform progress with timelines and accountability
Oversight by independent national and international bodies

Section 11: Signatories

We, the undersigned—patients, healthcare professionals, whistleblowers, and members of the public—affirm our collective demand for justice, due process, transparency, and an end to punishment without trial, and stand in support of Dr David Cartland, GP.