John Henderson is due to go before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) after he faked prescriptions to administer powerful painkillers to himself.
12:41, 02 Aug 2025Updated 14:21, 02 Aug 2025
Oxycodone is an opiate-based pain reliever with high abuse potential (Image: Getty)
A disgraced doctor who wrote prescriptions in the names of dead patients for self-medication is due to face a professional tribunal that could see him struck off.
John Henderson will go before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) on Monday, August 4, to determine whether his registration as a GP should be suspended or revoked following his conviction for obtaining prescription drugs by fraud.
The 40-year-old was sentenced at Hamilton Sheriff Court last year after admitting to writing out prescriptions for powerful painkillers in his own name — and in the names of former patients, some of whom were deceased.
Between July 2021 and February 2022, Henderson either collected the drugs himself from pharmacies or instructed NHS staff to pick them up and bring them to him. The shocking abuse of trust happened across Glasgow and Lanarkshire, involving multiple pharmacies and prescription forms.
Henderson, who held a senior position with NHS Lanarkshire, claimed he suffered pain from a gall bladder condition and stress from working long night shifts during the pandemic.
He escaped a prison sentence and was handed a community payback order including nine months of supervision and 100 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months. He was also ordered to repay £883.02 in compensation.
Oxycodone is an opiate-based pain reliever with high abuse potential(Image: Getty)
Now, the MPTS will assess whether Dr Henderson’s fitness to practise has been impaired by his criminal behaviour, which involved serious breaches.
According to pre-hearing documents, the tribunal will hear evidence that Dr Henderson “presented the prescriptions to pharmacies, or instructed NHS staff to present them on his behalf and return the medication to him, thus obtaining the medication by fraud.”
It was previously heard how NHS counter fraud became concerned about the out of hours GP who was suspected of prescribing drugs for himself. Investigations then uncovered a pattern of prescriptions being made for a strong painkiller called Oxycodone.
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Investigators linked the paperwork to Henderson and NHS delivery drivers later said they had been asked to make unusual collections from pharmacies on his instruction.
In June 2022 a search of his home found needles and drugs and he was arrested.
Henderson’s lawyer said in court he was deeply sorry for his actions which had been driven by stress and medical issues. The father-of-two has since been living in England with his family.
NHS Lanarkshire previously confirmed that immediate steps were taken when the allegations first came to light, including reporting the matter to police and working with relevant medical authorities.
If the tribunal finds his actions amount to serious professional misconduct, Dr Henderson could be suspended or struck off the medical register entirely.
The MPTS hearing is expected to take place from August 4 to 12.