Calling all doctors/medical professionals - question re. status of surgeon

[DiamondsAndRust]

Have already posted below about my dad's upcoming heart operation, but thought I'd start a new thread for clarity's sake as I essentially have one question now and I'm getting increasingly concerned about it.

Basically, we're very concerned as my dad seems to have been allocated a surgeon for his triple bypass who is not registered with the Royal College of Surgeons, and who does not have specialist registration with the GMC. I was under the impression that all consultants/specialists had to be officially registered, but this doctor is foreign trained, so I was wondering if there was some loophole that would allow him to practice outside usual procedure. There is no information whatsoever about this 'surgeon' on the internet, and we have thus far been unable to gain any reassurance at all about his surgical record.

We've left several messages with his secretary to try to clarify all this, but have heard nothing back from her. Meanwhile dad is booked in for a pre-op chat/tests/bloods this coming Tuesday, but he won't be seeing the consultant - in fact, there seems to be no opportunity for dad to discuss things with his surgeon in advance of the operation, which is currently booked in for March 13th. Is this normal? I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I'm beginning to get the impression that the hospital (Bart's) doesn't want us to find out anything about this doctor. Any ideas on why this could be?

I have very limited medical knowledge myself, so am finding all of this slightly bewildering! Any help gratefully received, even just to tell me I'm being paranoid!

(Thanks for those links Painty. I've been looking for my own surgeon for my forthcoming hip replacement, and have now found him :) )

Perfectly competent and qualified surgeons can hold non-consultant posts, such as associate specialist (consultant level experience) and staff grades (senior registrar level experience). It is to do with NHS politics, when the manpower was required but the high flying consultant type management posts were not available. Often these doctors will have international primary medical qualifications, but will also have extensive UK training and NHS experience. If surgeons, they will all be members of the Royal College of Surgeons, and this is the key criteria guiding competence.

The GMC specialty register is fairly new and only shows those that have completed specialty training in the UK. All doctors have to be registered and licensed by the GMC by law, but all specialists aren't necessarily on the specialty register.