Last week, Guido followed the mini-saga of Dominic Pimenta, a doctor who promised to resign over the Cummings Durham row if Cummings himself didn’t. Last Monday, Pimenta still hadn’t gone; after Guido pointed this out, by Thursday he claimed he’d handed in his resignation. It now appears Dr Dom may not have been entirely honest about ending his career however. Surgeon Umar Wali has called Pimenta “quite disingenuous”…

It’s now being openly speculated by fellow doctors that Pimenta merely requested an ‘OOPE‘ (Out of Programme Experience) break from his training, used by doctors for PhDs, special training or personal crises, with Pimenta telling the Guardian he will use the “career break” to spend work with a charity. Fellow cardiologist Iain Parsons has also cast doubt on Dr Pimenta’s resignation claim…

Dr Dom has only quit if he’s relinquished his ‘National Training Number’, something he won’t have if leaving for an OOPE. A fellow NHS doctor explains, “calling an OOPE a “quit” is like calling Nytol a recreational drug”. Guido’s sure Dr Pimenta will be keen to clarify this as soon as possible…