Fayed Survivors Accuse GMC of Enabling Abuse by Refusing Doctor 2026

Survivors of Mohamed Al Fayed's sexual abuse have accused the General Medical Council (GMC) of allowing the abuse to continue unchecked by refusing to investigate doctors allegedly complicit in his crimes. The medical regulator dismissed a 2017 request to scrutinise Dr Wendy Snell, who subjected a woman to intrusive sexual health examinations and shared the results with Fayed.

The GMC's Failure to Act

Almost a decade after complaints were first made about Dr Snell, who died in 2022, the GMC has finally taken action against two other surviving doctors accused of passing sexual health information to Fayed about women he later abused. This delayed response has sparked outrage among survivors who believe the regulator's inaction enabled further abuse.

Pelham Spong complained to the GMC in 2017 about Snell, a doctor employed by Fayed who subjected her to sexual health tests in 2008 as part of an interview process for a job with the former Harrods owner. The same day, Fayed allegedly grabbed her face and forcibly kissed her. Fayed also quizzed Spong about a sexually transmitted disease that Snell had assured her would be kept confidential.

Survivors Demand Accountability

Survivors are now calling for the GMC to be investigated for its failure to act on complaints. They argue that the regulator's refusal to scrutinise doctors accused of complicity allowed Fayed's abuse to continue for years.

• GMC dismissed a 2017 request to investigate Dr Wendy Snell.
• Two other doctors now face action for passing sexual health information to Fayed.
• Survivors demand an investigation into the GMC's handling of complaints.
• Fayed died in 2023, a year before hundreds of women went public with accusations.

Timeline of Complaints and Actions

What This Means for Medical Regulation

This case raises serious questions about the GMC's ability to protect the public and hold doctors accountable. If the regulator fails to investigate credible complaints, it risks enabling abuse and undermining trust in the medical profession.

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