Pharmacist suspended for ‘inappropriate touching’ restored

The GPhC did not accept there had been adequate reflection or remediation and sought a further 6-month suspension, but the committee was left "satisfied" there was no "realistic" risk of repetition.

Gadaria provided a full reflective statement, proof of participation in CPD courses, and references from his current place of work

A General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Fitness to Practise Committee has found that a pharmacist who engaged in “sexually motivated” conduct including the “inappropriate and unwelcome touching of colleagues” is fit to practise again after he “remediated the circumstances by demonstrating regret and taking steps to prevent a repetition”.

Pradyuman Gadaria, registration number 2051582, was suspended from the register for 12 months last September after multiple female colleagues reported Gadaria hugging them “intensely” and “for a long period of time” without permission. The instances occurred between 2015 and 2021.

The GPhC acknowledged at the time that Gadaria had “previous good character” and demonstrated some “expressions of remorse”.

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He was suspended for twelve months with the committee finding that “removal would be disproportionate”.

The committee heard that Gadaria would often message the female colleagues he had hugged, inviting one for a drink, telling another “I’m lucky to have seen you recently”, and “complimenting” the women on their “physical appearance”.

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Gadaria was also found to have placed a hand over a colleague’s bra strap and “rubbed the area slowly”, later commenting “Witt woo” in response to a photograph of her hair.

On December 16, 2020, Gadaria was advised about how his hugging and touching of colleagues was being perceived, but despite the advice from the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, his conduct continued.

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At the principal hearing between May 29 and June 5, and August 4 and 8 2025, the committee found that Gadaria “had not shown any insight into the impact of his actions on female colleagues” and demonstrated a “lack of remorse” and “remediation”.

At the hearing to decide whether fitness to practise remained impaired, Gadaria provided a full reflective statement, proof of participation in CPD courses, and references from his current place of work.

No female colleagues

The case presenter for the GPhC said the Council “did not accept that there had been adequate reflection or remediation”.

She pointed out that “there were no testimonials from female colleagues or colleagues that were junior” to Gadaria, and that he had not “focused on the most serious of the factual findings”.

She added the GPhC sought “a further 6-month suspension order”.

Counsel for Gadaria said that although there were no female colleagues at the registrant’s current place of work, this was “a position that he could do nothing about, and which should not be held against him”.

Gadaria’s counsel requested that “the current suspension be allowed to lapse as the order had served its purpose”.

Salutary

In making its decision, the committee “accepted that the Registrant’s reflective statement was genuine and remorseful” and demonstrated that he “understood the impact of his misconduct on the victims of it as well as the wider public interest”.

In turn, they found Gadaria had “addressed and remediated” the findings and concerns of the principal hearing.

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The committee concluded that they were “satisfied that there was no realistic risk of repetition” and that the regulatory experience had been “salutary”.

They ruled that Gadaria’s suspension “will lapse on expiry” on September 9, 2026.

Read the full determination here.

Claudia Watson

Read more by Claudia Watson

Claudia joined C+D as a reporter in June 2026, after completing her MA in Magazine Journalism at City St George’s, where she specialised in health and science reporting. She has previously served as both a news and features editor, writing across health, lifestyle and wellness.

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