Vet receives reprimand over false animal insurance claims

A former County Down-based vet has been reprimanded and warned about his future conduct, having previously admitted making fraudulent insurance claims to fund a gambling addiction.

A sanctioning decision against Donal Johnston was deferred two years ago after he pledged to refrain from gambling, repay some of the money defrauded, and commit himself to support and supervision.

A reconvened RCVS disciplinary panel concluded a more severe penalty would be excessive as the chances of Dr Johnston repeating his actions were “greatly reduced”.

‘Under no illusion’

But committee chairperson Paul Morris warned he could be “under no illusion” about the outcome if he were to face the panel again.

He said: “A failure to take advantage of the exceptional course adopted by this committee on this occasion would be regarded as a serious aggravating factor were he to appear before the committee at any time in the future.”

Dr Johnston first appeared before a disciplinary committee in April 2022, where he admitted four charges in relation to the submission of fraudulent insurance claims and the preparation of false clinical records to support some of them.

However, the panel postponed a decision on sanctioning for the maximum available two years in November that year based on undertakings made to them by Dr Johnston.

‘Largely complied’

The reconvened committee said it did not consider Dr Johnston an “entirely satisfactory” witness because of failures to change his name from Johnston to Fegen on official documentation to ensure consistency with his legal name.

But the hearing was told he had “largely complied” with the commitments he made, while gambling support services gave positive reports of his interactions with them and the progress he had made in managing his addiction.

Mr Morris said the progress made both suspension or removal from the register an excessive sanction “in the particular circumstances” of Dr Johnston’s case.