The organisation tasked with investigating concerns about doctors in Bermuda is not looking into allegations made against Ewart Brown and other local physicians in a civil lawsuit filed by the Government.

No complaints relating to the allegations have been made to Bermuda Medical Council, according to chief medical officer Cheryl Peek-Ball. Dr Peek-Ball told The Royal Gazette: “The council will need more information before it takes any formal action. Furthermore, if a complaint which ultimately arrives relates to the matter under investigation by Bermuda Police Service, the BMC would likely defer any review of the matter pending conclusion of the police investigation.”

Council president Fiona Ross said the complaint may come before the council “in due course” but had not to date. The Government’s legal complaint against the Lahey Clinic was filed in a federal court in Massachusetts on February 14.

It alleges that the former Premier was engaged in “corrupt enterprises” with the teaching hospital, involving “bribes” it paid to him while he was an elected MP to gain preferential treatment on the island in relation to hospital contracts and privileged access to Bermudian patients.

The 54-page lawsuit also alleges that Dr Brown paid “kickbacks” to local physicians — none of whom it names — for ordering patients to have diagnostic tests at his clinics, Bermuda HealthCare Services in Paget and the Brown-Darrell Clinic in Smith’s.

The court proceedings, for unspecified damages, were brought by Attorney-General Trevor Moniz. He said they were the result of an internal investigation conducted by his chambers.

Bermuda Police Service has also been investigating allegations of corruption against Dr Brown since 2011, though no criminal charges have been brought against him.

The island’s medical council is tasked by law with securing “high standards of professional competence and conduct in the practice of medicine and surgery in Bermuda” and has the power to strike doctors off the medical register or temporarily suspend their registration.

It has a professional conduct committee whose role is to investigate complaints against registered practitioners.

A separate organisation, Bermuda Medical Doctors Association, acts as the representative body for physicians in Bermuda. Its president Annabel Fountain said last month that the association would not be able to comment on the claims in the lawsuit about local doctors.

Dr Brown is not a party to the lawsuit and has said it contains “countless lies and ridiculous allegations”. Lahey has said it will defend the action.

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