Radiographer temporarily banned from doing X-rays on under 18s over behaviour towards teen
The prohibition on carrying out X-rays on children and adolescents apart from exceptional circumstances and then only under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner is one of five conditions imposed on the registration of radiographer, Adrian Peconcillo, by CORU – the regulatory body of health and social care professionals.
Advertisement
It follows a fitness-to-practise inquiry by CORU earlier this year at which Peconcillo admitted he had acted in a manner that was not clinically justified or appropriate when he was carrying out a chest X-ray on a 16-year-old girl at Tallaght University Hospital on January 25th, 2023.
The inquiry heard that the patient had come out of the changing area undressed from the waist up and covering her chest due to the failure of Peconcillo to provide her with a hospital gown prior to her undressing.
The radiographer – an Irish citizen who comes originally from the Philippines – was also accused of looking at her in a forward-facing manner whilst her back was against the X-ray board and later inviting her to look at her X-ray while she remained undressed.
Evidence was heard that Peconcillo had also sent the teenager one or more follow requests to her Instagram account on the same date that were inappropriate and without any clinical justification.
Advertisement
It emerged that the radiographer had tried to contact her with his own Instagram account which was in the name of 'Adrian Wanderman'.
He had originally claimed in correspondence with CORU that he had sent the Instagram request to an Australian DJ with the same name as the girl.
The girl's father said his daughter had been doing her mock exams at the time and her head was 'all over the place' and she was blaming herself for the incident.
The inquiry was held after a formal complaint was made to CORU about Peconcillo's behaviour by the radiography services manager at TUH, Laura Gannon.
Advertisement
It heard that Peconcillo was suspended by TUH after the teenager's parents had made a complaint to the hospital and he was subsequently dismissed in April 2023 following an internal investigation.
The CORU inquiry heard he has not worked as a radiographer since but had found employment as a phlebotomist at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin where he primarily works with geriatric patients but on a salary 50% less than he earned in TUH.
The fitness-to-practise committee also found the radiographer's actions constituted breaches of the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics adopted by the Radiographers Registration Board.
They related to his failure to maintain high standards of personal conduct and behaviour and to use social media responsibly.
Advertisement
The committee noted that Peconcillo had shown remorse and recognised his poor judgement in dealing with the young patient.
The committee's chairperson, Geraldine Feeney, said they had considered a period of suspension to be the appropriate sanction but had decided against it in circumstances where Mr Peconcillo had not worked as a radiographer for almost two years.
The committee rejected an application by his legal representatives for the inquiry to be concluded by his consenting to admonishment and censure and giving an undertaking about his future conduct.
Ms Feeney said the seriousness of the proven allegations required some form of sanction.
Advertisement
She said the committee also recognised that the incidents had been devastating for the radiographer both professionally and personally after he lost his job and was refused access to his only child by his former partner.
The committee observed that there were 'system shortcomings' within TUH that had facilitated Peconcillo's actions albeit they did not excuse such conduct.
Other conditions imposed on the radiographer require him to complete courses relating to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults as well as ones on social media and professional practice and relating to professional ethics, trust, care and dignity in the workplace.
All courses have to be completed within 12 months and at his own expense.
CORU also required Peconcillo to notify any current or prospective employer about the findings against him and the conditions attached to his registration to practise as a radiographer.
The decision to attach conditions to the radiographer's registration was confirmed by the High Court earlier this week.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
More than 100 NHS doctors warn Wes Streeting to honour promise to roll out screening clinics for osteoporosis - or risk thousands of preventable deaths
More than 100 leading NHS doctors have warned Health Secretary Wes Streeting that failing to honour his pre-Election commitment to urgently rollout screening clinics for osteoporosis risks causing thousands of preventable deaths. In a letter shared exclusively with The Mail on Sunday, the medics and healthcare workers say tens of thousands of people with the bone-thinning disease are 'slipping through the net' because of a postcode lottery of care – and 2,500 may have needlessly died in the last 12 months alone – because of a failure by the Government to prioritise tackling the crisis. Mr Streeting told this newspaper that one of his first acts in Government would be to publish a plan to rollout Fracture Liaison Services, or FLS, across all parts of the country. These vital services, which require no new equipment, represent a gold standard in the early diagnosis of the condition and would mean everyone over 50 who breaks a bone could be screened for the disease and given bone-preserving drugs – potentially saving thousands of people from serious injury, disability and an early death. But a year on from that promise, the Government now says FLS will not be available everywhere until 2030. The Government reiterated its commitment to funding the clinics in its 10-Year Health Plan, published on Thursday, but the doctors say any further delay will cause 'harm' to patients – and say officials have still failed to reveal how they plan to achieve the rollout. The doctors, part of the Royal Osteoporosis Society's clinical network who are backing the charity's campaign for universal FLS, wrote: 'Late diagnosis of osteoporosis leads to avoidable fractures, loss of independence, long-term disability and, in many cases, premature death. 'A properly functioning FLS catches patients after their first fracture, enabling early diagnosis and access to proven, cost-effective treatments. They are a classic example of driving the shift from sickness to prevention. 'However, the current postcode lottery for FLS provision means tens of thousands are slipping through the net. Each year that this remains unaddressed, an estimated 2,500 more people die following hip fractures that could have been prevented. 'Any delay in implementation of this important policy will cost lives.' Shadow Health Secretary Edward Argar also called on Mr Streeting to deliver his pledge 'right away, with no more delays'. Mr Argar said: 'I'm calling on the Health Secretary to set out an action plan with a clear timetable, starting now, for the roll-out of FLS to all areas, something which will not only help thousands of people with osteoporosis but will also be saving the NHS money within a few years.' Osteoporosis affects around 3.5million people in the UK and causes bones to thin and weaken, leading to fractures. Most people are only diagnosed after breaking several bones, but in hospitals which have FLS, patients attending with fractures can be screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test called a DEXA scan. Only half of NHS Trusts in England currently have FLS, and rolling it out is estimated to cost £30million. Osteoporosis-related fractures have cost the British economy more than £142million since last July. The Mail on Sunday has been running a War on Osteoporosis campaign to make FLS universal. Craig Jones, chief executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said: 'This is a preventative model that's tried and tested, ready to go, and capable of delivering savings before the middle of this Parliament. 'We welcome inclusion in the 10 Year Plan and now call for a speedy implementation plan so we can protect patients and save lives.'
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
DR SARAH JARVIS: You pledged to act, Wes... yet 2,500 have died from this preventable problem while you've sat on your hands
I've lost count of the number of people – and it's usually women – who come to my clinic after having suffered several painful fractures. Some, in their 50s and otherwise in perfect health, have stumbled and injured a wrist or cracked a rib. For others it might be their third or fourth break in a matter of months, and they're coming to me wondering why. The stories are strikingly similar. They will have been to A&E multiple times over the years, or been suffering severe back pain. And all of this will have had a devastating impact on their mood, relationships, their ability to live their lives normally and, crucially, their ability to work. It's heart-breaking to see, and as a GP I know that these issues are a red flag for a common but horrendous condition which causes bones to thin and weaken – osteoporosis. When I refer them for a DEXA scan – a type of X-ray which measures the density of bone – lo and behold, they are finally diagnosed. But in some parts of the country just getting that appointment can take up to two years. For many of the 3.5 million people diagnosed with osteoporosis in the UK, it comes too late for treatment that can help protect against loss of bone density. Many end up suffering for years, in pain, becoming increasingly disabled and shuffling into an early grave. But on Thursday, when the Government published its Ten-Year Health Plan, there was no mention of osteoporosis. Other conditions, such as HIV, cancer and diabetes, got a mention. But not this one, which affects half of all women and one fifth of men. That is why, this weekend, more than 100 of my colleagues – NHS doctors and hospital workers – have written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting urging him to finally make good on his pre-election commitment to prioritise early diagnosis for osteoporosis by rolling out Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across England. These screening clinics save lives by picking up the disease early, and prioritising people for safe, effective bone-sparing drugs. Right now, only half of England's NHS Trusts have one, leading to an unacceptable postcode lottery across the country and putting people at risk. As our letter reminds Mr Streeting, plugging those gaps where FLS is absent is crucial, because delay causes harm and costs lives. The late diagnosis of osteoporosis leads to avoidable fractures, loss of independence, long-term disability and, in many cases, premature death. In the past year alone, while Mr Streeting has sat on his hands, around 2,500 people have died due to preventable hip fractures alone. He has said the rollout will happen by 2030, but this delay could mean a further 12,500 deaths which FLS could have avoided. And there will have been 74,000 preventable fractures, including 31,000 life-threatening hip fractures, which will take up to 750,000 bed days. Those are beds the NHS sorely needs. That is unacceptable, not to mention unimaginably tragic for those needlessly affected. So while Mr Streeting might say in the Ten-Year Plan he is committed to prevention, when it comes to osteoporosis that couldn't be further from the truth. It's all the more baffling because rolling out FLS is an easy win. It would cost £30 million – 1.5 per cent of the £2 billion the NHS spends annually to treat hip fractures. But studies show that a single FLS covers its cost after just 18 to 24 months – and after that saves the NHS money by reducing the number of hospital beds required for fracture patients. And Mr Streeting knows all this. When he was in Opposition, he talked about it endlessly. After the Conservative government said it would roll out FLS, he criticised it for being too slow. Then, in May 2024, he promised that should Labour win the upcoming General Election, it would fully fund them. The following month, taking a more personal tone, he went further, telling this newspaper that it would be one of his first acts in Government because a close relative had broken a hip after becoming a victim of the postcode lottery for bone-density scans. But after Labour won the Election in July, it went quiet. To add insult to injury – quite literally – he was caught on video in January mocking charities for campaigning to improve the lives of patients, sarcastically singling out the Royal Osteoporosis Society as the 'worst offender' when it came to 'lobbying' the Government. Only in February did he finally say the FLS plan would be implemented 'by 2030', but it came with no indication as to how this would be achieved. Today, even after the Ten-Year Plan has been punished, that remains the case. This ongoing failure to drive this forward is a huge blow for those yet to be diagnosed with osteoporosis – they can get access to safe, effective medication only if they're diagnosed. I know this, unfortunately, from my own personal experience with this disease. In early 2023 I asked my GP for a DEXA scan after a friend fractured a wrist and hip playing tennis. I was found to have the bones of a 90-year-old, despite then being 60 (I'm now 62), and was diagnosed with the disease. And I know I was lucky. I got the right treatment to improve my bone density – and I've still never had a fracture. Without that early knowledge, I'd have likely suffered multiple breaks by now. Every day, every week, every month this Government delays rolling out FLS, more people suffer preventable injuries – an own goal, because it then costs them more to treat them. If you have a hip fracture, you're up to eight times more likely to die within three months, and three to four times more likely to die within a year. Three quarters of those who fracture a hip never have the same level of independence. The human misery this causes is horrendous. Yet FLS would save the NHS £440 million over five years and free up 36,000 hospital beds every winter. Quite simply, this isn't something that can wait. There is the political will, Mr Streeting, but we now need an urgent way forward.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Royal chef Richard Corrigan reveals his secret battle with kidney cancer
A celebrity chef who has cooked for the Queen has revealed his secret battle with kidney cancer. Richard Corrigan, 61, runs multiple high-end eateries in London and most recently opened The Portrait Restaurant atop The National Portrait Gallery. The three-time winner of the BBC 's hit show Great British Menu told The Times about the train of events that led to his diagnosis. Corrigan said his wife forced him to go for a check-up after noticing changes in his physical and mental state and that sleep patterns were out-of-whack. A private scan subsequently revealed a giant cancerous tumour on one of his kidneys. Fearing that he did not having long left, the larger than-than-life Irish chef responded in characteristically outlandish fashion - by treating himself to several crates of the finest bubbly. He said: 'I decided I'm not going to drink s*** if this is my last six f***ing months, so I phoned up David Motion in the Winery in Little Venice and said, "David, I'm only going to drink Grand Cru for the next few months", so he sent round five grand's worth. 'I said to Maria, "If it's my final countdown, I'm doing it with f***ing great champagne." Corrigan endured a seven-hour operation at the Royal Free Hospital in London, where surgeons discovered that the tumour had spread into the main vein for the kidney. Doctors were also concerned after seeing black spots on his lungs, fearing the cancer may have metastasized - but they turned out to be small clots related to his kidney issues. For four months the superstar chef required a daily visit from an NHS nurse and he is now receiving state-of-the-art gene therapy from cancer specialists at St Barts. The chef is full of nothing but praise for the NHS, which he describes as 'one of the greatest healthcare services in the world' - and says he does not begrudge paying tax to fund it. Corrigan, whose own mother died age 66 of cancer, even invited his entire surgical team to his upmarket resturant in Mayfair, lavishing them with magnums of champagne and spoonfuls of caviar. He said: 'We had the lot of them — Ravi, the head theatre nurse, the whole lot of them — and Ravi wrote me a lovely letter saying how everything was amazing and the best part was watching me in the kitchen doing what I'm supposed to do, as he said, "to see you back at work".' Passionate in his beliefs and never one to shy away from controversy, Corrigan - a farmer's son from Co Meath in Ireland, who was raised Catholic - recently attended the protest in support of singer Liam O'Hanna from the Irish punk band Kneecap. O'Hanna, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with terror offences in May for waving a Hezbollah flag at a UK concert in November 2024. He said: 'A policeman sees me,' he says, 'and he says, "You're that chef off the telly, aren't you? I'll escort you through the crowd, sir." So I say, "No, I'm joining the protest." The celebrated chef has never been afraid of airing his opinions in public, admitting earlier this year that he found Meghan Markle's Netflix series 'pretentious'. 'I admit I watched With Love, Meghan – it's a bit pretentious,' the Irishman told the Mail's Richard Eden. 'I don't like the pretence. California is all very Hollywood, it's all very samey – Britain is not like that.' The chef compared Harry and Meghan to Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, another American divorcee. Edward abdicated in 1936 so he and Mrs Simpson could be married. Corrigan said: 'I don't think anyone likes people doing cheap TV. If you're gonna leave [royal life], buy yourself a nice pad and entertain and enjoy yourself, but don't become a burden.' The remarks were not the first time Corrigan had expressed his disappointment with the former actress's behaviour. 'I cooked for the Queen free of charge, of course. And I'll cook for anyone, but let me just say, some people will have to pay. I'd let [Meghan] in the restaurant, for sure, but the Queen had the red carpet rolled out. Would Meghan? I don't think so.' Meghan's eight-episode series, released on Netflix as part of the Sussexes' reported £85million deal with the US streaming giant, has now been renewed for a second season While Corrigan holds the Queen in the highest regard, it is clear that he has less affectionate feelings to some other members of the Royal Family besides Harry and Meghan. In 2021 he revealed that he had a 'minor member' of the royals escorted out of one of his restaurants after they used the word 'Paddy' - which can be an anti-Irish slur. He has to this day refused to name the royal, but confirmed only that it was a woman. 'I have witnessed very little racism, or racist kind of remarks, to me in over 33 years of living and working in London,' Corrigan said. 'I mean, [there were] the odd times that they did pass comments. There's been a few [times a] minor member of the Royal Family called me 'Paddy'.' Referring to the incident, he said: 'I made her pay her bill and kicked her out on the street, so that word goes around very quickly.' He added: 'I've always associated racism and comments like that with the bullies, so if you give it straight back into their eyes, they tend to shut up and go away, and stay quiet around you.' But he says that the prejudice he faced was nothing compared with that endured by Irish immigrants in the past. 'It has happened in the previous generation going there [to London], the Irish people that went there in the Fifties and Sixties, they got it between their two eyes.' Corrigan has also courted controversy by lashing out at health and safety culture in British restaurants. Speaking in 2018 to Mail Online, he said: 'The nanny state has taken all the fun out of dining. Enough is enough. 'Every day there's another public health scare. 'The relentless cries of a fearful few tell chefs that we can't serve bacon, we mustn't offer red meat, and if we do it must be well done or we risk cursing our customers with a death sentence. 'I'm increasingly being told how to prepare my meals by health and safety executives. 'The finest game our country can offer is to suffer the indignity of being served with all traces of pink removed. 'We may as well bin the lot. No one with any taste wants to eat the way these zealots would have us eat.' Corrigan's restaurant portfolio includes Bentley's Oyster Bar & Grill and Corrigan's, both in London's swanky Mayfair district. The TV chef also runs Daffodil Mulligan near Old Street, as well as Virginia Park Lodge in Co. Cavan, Ireland, with the most recent addition to his portfolio being the much-lauded The Portrait Restaurant - branded 'one of those rare restaurants that can match the splendour of its surroundings' by the Mail.
