LONDON, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week (25 February 2009) ordered the name of a man who had been practising in the Wokingham area of Berkshire to be removed from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, for fraudulent registration.

Dr Janos Nemeth, of The Woosehill Hospital4Pets, Emmview Close, Woking, was charged with fraudulently entering his name in the Register, and dishonestly representing that a letter submitted with his application for registration was written and signed by Dr Sandor Mille, President of the Hungarian Veterinary Chamber (HVC).

Dr Nemeth is a Hungarian national who qualified as a veterinary surgeon in Hungary in 1988 and practised there for many years. Veterinary surgeons holding an appropriate European qualification are eligible to register with the RCVS, allowing them to practise legally in the UK. However, amongst other things applicants for registration must provide documentation from a competent registration authority of an EU member state - in this case the HVC - confirming current membership and good professional standing. It was the authenticity of this document, known as a Certificate of Good Standing, which concerned the Committee.

Dr Nemeth had registered with the College on 5 December 2006, providing what appeared to be relevant documentation. In February 2008, an anonymous caller to the College questioned Dr Nemeth's standing as a veterinary surgeon. Following investigation, the authenticity of the Certificate of Good Standing was brought into question, leading to a charge of fraudulent registration.

The Committee considered evidence over a three-day hearing. Although Dr Nemeth's English was good, in the interests of justice and for the avoidance of any doubt about his understanding of the proceedings, the services of a translator were employed. Nevertheless, under cross-examination, the Committee felt that the respondent's evidence was often confused.

The Committee heard that when asked to produce the original Certificate for a meeting that he attended at the College on 10 March 2008, Dr Nemeth had been unable to do so; he had also failed to provide an original Certificate the following week. The HVC had confirmed that no Certificate had been issued on the date carried by the alleged forgery, and that the number on the Certificate could not have been generated within its system. An email from the HVC to Dr Nemeth that originally had only one attachment was forwarded to the College by Dr Nemeth with an additional attachment, which turned out to be the forged Certificate of Good Standing. Dr Nemeth alleged that both Certificates had been attached to the email received from Hungary. The Committee were able to establish that this was not the case.

Dr Nemeth claimed that the Certificate was not a forgery, and that furthermore he would have had no need to produce a forgery as he could have legitimately gained a Certificate. However, the Committee heard evidence that Dr Nemeth was not in fact a member of the HVC at the time of applying for RCVS registration, having been removed from the HVC Register for non-payment of fees over a twelve-month period. It was therefore by no means clear that he would have been entitled to a Certificate of Good Standing.

It was further established that Dr Nemeth must have produced a convincing forgery of an original Certificate of Good Standing at the Registration Ceremony in order to have been able to proceed to registration. In mitigation, Dr Nemeth stressed that neither in England nor in Hungary had there at any time over 18 years been any complaint against him. He further said that he and his family were integrated into his local community, and that they planned to make the UK their home. Nevertheless, the Committee concluded that the evidence that the Certificate was a forgery was 'overwhelming'. Mrs Alison Bruce, chairing the Disciplinary Committee, said: Having considered all of the evidence in the case with great care, the Committee is driven to the conclusion, so that it is sure, that the Respondent did know at all relevant times that the Certificate of Good Standing was a forgery, and that he did dishonestly represent to the College that the forged document was genuine as the College alleged. Accordingly, the Committee finds that the entry of the Respondent's name on the Register was fraudulently made, and that the allegation made by the College is proved.

The Committee therefore decided to instruct the Registrar to remove Dr Nemeth's name from the Register.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. The RCVS is the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the UK and deals with issues of professional misconduct, maintaining the register of veterinary surgeons eligible to practise in the UK and assuring standards of veterinary education.

2. RCVS disciplinary powers are exercised through the Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees, established in accordance with Schedule 2 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (the 1966 Act). The RCVS has authority to deal with three types of case:

a) Fraudulent registration b) Criminal convictions c) Allegations of disgraceful professional conduct

3. The Disciplinary Committee is a constituted judicial tribunal under the 1966 Act and follows rules of evidence similar to those used in a court of law.

4. The burden of proving an allegation falls upon the RCVS, and the RCVS must prove to the standard that the Committee is sure.

5. Dr Nemeth's name was directed to be removed from the Register in accordance with sections 14 and 16(1) (c) of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

6. A respondent veterinary surgeon may appeal a Disciplinary Committee decision to the Privy Council within 28 days of the date of the decision. If no appeal is received, the Committee's judgment takes effect after this period.

7. Further information, including the charges against Dr Nemeth and the Committee's findings and judgment, can be found online at http://www.rcvs.org.uk

For more information please contact: Lizzie Lockett, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, +44(0)20-7202-0725, l.lockett@rcvs.org.uk

For more information please contact: Lizzie Lockett, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, +44(0)20-7202-0725, l.lockett@rcvs.org.uk