Must not call a Pom a twit

A British God-doctor can't take criticism.  A cystic fibrosis sufferer was struck off as a patient from his local GP surgery after posting an “offensive” message about its staff on Twitter, it emerged tonight

Mathew Cochrane, 26, was left astonished after being removed without notice from the Stanwell Surgery, Penarth, south Wales for describing staff as “incompetent t***s”.

Practice officials wrote to him this week, saying he had to find another GP practice at which to register.

But tonight the case provoked a backlash on Twitter, after Mr Cochrane posted a copy of the letter and a picture of the offending “tweet” on the social media site.

While it is understood the decision by the practice to protect “defenceless” staff from “abuse”, critics said it raised fundamental questions about free speech.

The row was provoked last week when he contacted the surgery to make an appointment after getting a letter in the post telling him he needed to see a doctor.

Because he usually only dealt with a specialist consultant, he rang worried it was a serious problem but a receptionist told him the next available slot was three weeks away.

The pair then argued about the practice’s systems, and he was told “in an unpleasant tone” that mangers were unavailable to hear his complaint and he had to make it in writing.

He then took to Twitter at lunchtime on Friday and posted to his just over 500 followers: “#StanwellSurgery in #Penarth is run by a bunch if [sic] incompetent t***s!”

On Monday, the practice’s senior partner, Dr Jonathon Evans, wrote to him informing him he had been deregistered for his “offensive tweet” and that he needed to find an alternative doctor.

Tonight Mr Cochrane, a driving instructor from Penarth, admitted he was left astonished that his surgery “could have me removed for what I thought was a harmless tweet”.

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"Pom" is Australian slang for the English.