THE wait for a decision on the future career of Thomas Plimmer continues as the employment tribunal into his alleged sexual misconduct continues. 

A Medical Practitioner's Tribunal met for over two weeks in September to look into multiple allegations made against the former Swindon doctor by six women. 

After all of the evidence had been heard, it was believed that a decision might be made on Friday, September 29, but this did not happen. 

As a result, the hearing will be reconvening on December 21 at the facts stage, where a preliminary decision could be made. 

The facts stage is where the panel considers all of the evidence presented and decides whether each of the allegations presented is 'proved on the balance of probabilities', of which Dr Plimmer faces 19 different counts. 

After this, the panel will consider if the doctor’s current fitness to practise medicine is impaired - essentially, whether the doctor is safe to continue working in medicine and treating patients.

If the tribunal finds the doctor’s fitness to practise is impaired, the hearing continues to stage three, which is the sanctions stage. 

During this stage, the panel could decide to end the case with no further action, accept voluntary undertakings offered by the doctor, place conditions on the doctor’s registration for up to three years, suspend the doctor’s registration for up to one year or erase the doctor’s name from the medical register.

If this does not happen in December, then the fate of Dr Plimmer and whether or not he will be struck off the register for his actions, and no longer allowed to practise medicine could be delayed until as far as April next year. 

During the hearing, which started on September 11, the panel heard that Dr Plimmer had allegedly entered into a coercive relationship with a vulnerable colleague and had sexually assaulted and raped her. 

It also heard that he had used his GP practice in Swindon as a place to take women back and have sex with them while he was supposed to be working, with many of these women believing they were in committed long-term relationships with him. 

In response, Mr Plimmer admitted that his actions of misleading several women so he could have multiple relationships at the same time without them knowing was 'shameful behaviour' but denied doing anything criminal.