Dr Touseef Safdar -v- General Medical Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Case number: AC-2025-LON-000969

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

In the matter of an appeal under S.40 of the Medical Act 1983

4 November 2025

Before:

The Honourable Mrs Justice Steyn DBE

Between:

Dr Touseef Safdar

-v-

General Medical Council

Order

BEFORE Mrs Justice Steyn sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice on 4 November 2025

AND UPON hearing counsel for the Appellant and counsel for the Respondent

AND UPON the parties being in agreement regarding the justification for this order (and there being no representations from the press or any other interested party)

AND PURSUANT to s.6 of the Human Rights Act 1998, s.11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, CPR rules 5.4C, 5.4D and 39.2(4), the Court being satisfied that these derogations from open justice are strictly necessary

WHEREAS for the purposes of this order:
(1) ‘Publication’ includes any speech, writing, broadcast, or other communication in whatever form (including internet and social media), which is addressed to the public at large or any section of the public.
(2) Publication for the purpose of this Order includes any further publication (as defined in (1) above) from the date of this Order, even if such information has derived from a previous stage or stages of these proceedings.

IT IS ORDERED THAT:

  1. The name of the complainant and of the sensitive matters identified in the Confidential Schedule to this Order are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in open court. There is to be substituted for all purposes in these proceedings, in place of reference to the complainant by name, and whether orally or in writing, the pseudonym “Ms A”.
  2. Pursuant to s.11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the inherent jurisdiction, there must be no publication of the name or address of ‘Ms A’, or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of Ms A, or of any of the sensitive matters identified in the Confidential Schedule, in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.
  3. Pursuant to CPR Rules 5.4C and 5.4D, a person who is not a party to the proceedings may not obtain a copy of a statement of case, judgment or order from the Court records unless the statement of case, judgment or order has been anonymised and redacted in accordance with paragraph 2 above.
  4. Paragraphs 2 and 3 above are subject to the following proviso. Accredited members of the press are permitted to obtain, from the Respondent’s solicitors, an unredacted copy of the Confidential Schedule to this Order, on the condition that this is used only for the purposes of understanding and complying with this Order. To this end the Respondent’s solicitors have permission to provide a copy of the unredacted Confidential Schedule to accredited members of the press on receipt of their written confirmation that this condition is understood and will be complied with.
  5. If a person who is not a party to the proceedings applies (pursuant to CPR r.5.4C(1B) or (2)) for permission to inspect or obtain a copy of any other document or communication, such application shall be on at least 5 days’ notice to the Respondent’s solicitor.
  6. The Court file shall be clearly marked with the words “An anonymity order was made in this case on 4.11.2025 and any application by a non-party to inspect or obtain a copy document from this file must be dealt with in accordance with the terms of that Order.”
  7. Any person, whether or not a party to the proceedings, may apply to the Court to vary or discharge this Order, provided that any such application is made on 5 days’ notice to the Respondent’s solicitor.
  8. Pursuant to CPR 39.2(5), a copy of this order, but not the Confidential Schedule, shall be published on the website of the Judiciary of England and Wales.
  9. The costs of obtaining this order be costs in the appeal.

Dated this 4th day of November 2025