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Paediatrician convicted of manslaughter must be erased from register, rules High Court

BMJ 2018; 360 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k417 (Published 26 January 2018) Cite this as: BMJ 2018;360:k417

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Re: Paediatrician convicted of manslaughter must be erased from register, rules High Court

The High Court upheld the appeal of the GMC in the case of Dr Bawa-Garba and she has been struck off the Medical Register because her clinical errors were determined to amount to gross negligence manslaughter.

During 4 decades of practice, I have made clinical errors including delayed diagnosis and errors in treatment. Some sick patients died. I am sure that many would have died anyway, but in some cases my errors are likely to have contributed to poor outcomes and some patient deaths.

Therefore I have asked the GMC to investigate my clinical practice over the last 40 years to see whether I am fit to practise. Other doctors who have made similar clinical errors may also feel obliged to report themselves to the GMC.

It is clear that the High Court agreed with the GMC that honest errors should be career ending mistakes. The High Court also agreed with the GMC that in the case of Dr Bawa-Garba, the three members of the Fitness to Practise Panel had made an error in determining Dr Bawa-Garba’s sanction. Will the GMC be asking for removal those three individuals from the list of panel members, so that they cannot make a mistake at a future tribunal?

Competing interests: No competing interests

28 January 2018
Peter T Wilmshurst
Consultant cardiologist
Royal Stoke University Hospital
Newcastle Road, Stoke-on-Trent