Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter
ROOSEVELT CROOKS, who, two years ago, was accused of practising medicine without a licence but who was later cleared by a court, is again being probed by the Medical Council of Jamaica.
Dr. Trevor McCartney, chairman of the Medical Council, said on Monday that the council is investigating Mr. Crooks after it received reports that he was undertaking tasks which should only be done by trained and registered medical doctors, such as signing sick leave certificates.
However, Mr. Crooks, who works at a medical centre in St. Ann, has denied the allegations and claims that he is being unfairly targeted by the Medical Council.
"I'm shocked at this and I am tired of it," he declared. "I will refer the matter to my lawyer. I hope they are prepared to back it (any allegation) up."
Dr. McCartney said that Mr. Crooks is not registered by the Medical Council, which has said that doctors who are not registered or who do not have valid practising certificates are breaking the law.
NOT REGISTERED
Mr. Crooks has been investigated by the council more than once. On August 28, 2000, police charged him with breaches of the Medical Profession Act. At the time, they claimed that he was practising medicine without a licence and was not registered with the Medical Council of Jamaica.
The police took action after a complaint was made that a person who Mr. Crooks had allegedly treated, got worse after being treated.
Gleaner reports indicate that Mr. Crooks was freed in 2003 after Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle, of the Corporate Area Criminal Court in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew, upheld a no-case submission made by Frank Phipps, Q.C., Mr. Crooks' lawyer. In the submission, it was argued that the Crown had failed to produce evidence that Mr. Crooks was making himself out to be a medical practitioner.
Mr. Phipps told the court in January 2001 that Mr. Crooks did not pretend to be a doctor. He said Mr. Crooks, who says he has 18 medical degrees, practised alternative medicine only.
