Doctors try to force out medical chief over hospital sepis sacking

Angry doctors try to force out the head of the General Medical Council for sacking pediatrician who failed to spot sepsis in young boy

  • General Medical Council head Mr Massey handled case of Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba
  • Paediatrician failed to spot Jack Adcock had sepsis at Leicester Royal Infirmary
  • Dr Bawa-Garba was struck off but was reinstated two weeks ago at Appeal Court
  • Doctors angry issues raised by the case – like understaffing -have been ignored

Hospital doctors have demanded that the head of the General Medical Council should quit.

They are angry about the way Charlie Massey handled the case of a pediatrician who was struck off following the death of a six-year-old boy in her care.

Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, who was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter over the death of Jack Adcock, won her bid to be reinstated to the medical register at the Court of Appeal earlier this month. 

Jack died from sepsis at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 after she failed to spot that he had the condition.

Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba, was convicted of gross negligence manslaughter over the death of Jack Adcock, but won her bid to be reinstated to the medical register at the Court of Appeal earlier this month

Doctors are angry about the way head of the General Medical Council Charlie Massey (pictured) handled the case of Dr Bawa-Garba

Doctors are angry about the way head of the General Medical Council Charlie Massey (pictured) handled the case of Dr Bawa-Garba

Many doctors have been angered by the actions of the GMC, which regulates them. 

They said important issues raised by the case – including dangerous levels of understaffing and failures of IT systems – had been ignored.

The Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association is now warning chief executive Mr Massey that the GMC may never regain the confidence of doctors under his leadership.

The HCSA criticised Mr Massey over what it described as his personal decision – without reference to the GMC council – to seek to override the findings of its own tribunal service in the case. 

A tribunal ruled last year that Dr Bawa-Garba should remain on the medical register despite her conviction, but issued a one-year suspension. 

The GMC then appealed to the High Court, saying the suspension was ‘not sufficient’. 

Jack died from sepsis at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 after she failed to spot that he had the condition

Jack died from sepsis at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 after she failed to spot that he had the condition

Dr Bawa-Garba was struck off, before being reinstated two weeks ago.

Dr John West, of the HSCA, said: ‘The chief executive’s personal fingerprints are all over a case which has seen doctors’ confidence in the GMC collapse. It now seems that the GMC will only be able to draw a line under this disastrous episode via the departure of its main architect.’

A GMC spokesman said: ‘As an independent regulator responsible for protecting patient safety, we are frequently called upon to make difficult decisions.’

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