Dr Tapas Kumar Basu is appearing before the General Medical Council this week to answer charges of professional misconduct. If found guilty, he could be struck off the medical register.

10-year-old

The hearing follows the death of 10-year-old Katie Dougal in January 1996. She suffered a heart attack only minutes after being anaesthetised at a dental surgery in Long Eaton, Derbyshire.

She went to the dentist after breaking two front teeth in a playground accident the day before.

Inquest

An inquest found that Dr Basu had gone ahead with the operation despite the fact that vital equipment monitoring carbon dioxide levels was not working properly.

South Derbyshire Health Authority said the operation should not have gone ahead and called for changes in the use of anaesthesia.

Charges

Fifty-nine-year-old Dr Basu, from Walsall, faces charges of not keeping up-to-date with changes in anaesthesia and resuscitation; not following recommended procedures; not checking Katie's blood pressure and not asking for an adequate medical history.

The GMC accuses him of not connecting Katie to a heart monitor as well as failing to monitor her carbon dioxide levels.