An out-of-work doctor jailed for using an old hospital security pass to repeatedly steal drugs could be struck off.
Dr Paul Wilkinson worked in the anaesthetic department at Aintree Hospital in Lower Lane for almost two years.
But when his contract was not renewed due to “poor performance”, the then 30-year-old kept hold of his ID card.
He donned medical scrubs and used the pass on 75 occasions to try to steal codeine to feed his painkiller addiction .
In 2017 Liverpool Crown Court heard he wandered freely through wards and operating theatres over an eight-month period.
Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, called for an investigation into how he escaped detection – stealing 2,558 tablets worth £3,360.
He said: “It is extremely concerning. I hope that the authorities have put in place systems to ensure that will never happen again.
“Nobody at the hospital has picked up that this pass has been repeatedly used in this period.”
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Wilkinson, now of Breakmoor Avenue in Silsden, West Yorkshire, admitted burglary, burglary with intent and theft.
Jailing Wilkinson for eight months, Judge Flewitt said: "I appreciate you told the police you never completely emptied the cupboard so to speak.
“But your actions reduced the amounts of the drug available to the patients that you were there to serve and care for.
“You were taking tablets there for the benefit of patients and your actions will undoubtedly have caused a loss of confidence in the medical staff generally at that hospital.”
Now Wilkinson is set to appear before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) on April 9 after a General Medical Council (GMC) investigation.
The MPTS has the power to ban Dr Wilkinson from practising medicine in the UK indefinitely.
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Wilkinson, who has a serious back injury and suffers from depression, began stealing the opiate in April 2016.
Jayne Morris, prosecuting, said his job ended on August 2, but he swiped his pass at hospital doors a further 437 times.
He was only caught after a nurse raised concerns that she had spotted him and knew he should not be there.
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On April 14 this year, he entered in normal clothes, changed into doctor’s scrubs, then accessed a treatment ward.
Wilkinson took four packs of codeine, put them in his backpack, then placed the bag in a cupboard.
He entered another ward, where he was recognised by the deputy manager, who challenged him.
Ms Morris said: “The defendant then became evasive and tried to exit the ward.
“Other members of staff then assisted in restraining the defendant and preventing him from leaving.”
He confessed to colleagues and police about his addiction, saying he had been taking codeine since late 2012.
Wilkinson said he had battled depression for 10 years and while prescribed 100 tablets a month, was taking up to 300.
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At his sentencing hearing, Osman Munir, defending Wilkinson, said his client, who has one previous conviction for drink driving in April 2015, would likely lose his career if jailed.
Mr Munir said: “He had an outstanding academic background and he’s achieved a lot in his field of medicine.
“It’s quite tragic that he has suffered in terms of mental health difficulties and the physical issues that he’s had to endure.”
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He said “extremely remorseful” Wilkinson had voluntarily attended support groups for his problems.
In a previous statement, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said it would not discuss “security issues”.
However, a spokesman said: “We have made several changes as part of the lessons learned from this incident.”
