Mother calls for Southall inquiry

Mrs Alexander says she wants "justice" for all the families

A mother who fought a 20-year battle against disgraced paediatrician David Southall is calling for a full public inquiry into his actions.

Janet Alexander, of Ludlow, Shropshire, claims the doctor wrongly accused her of poisoning her son Lawrence and kept a secret medical file on him.

His was one of five cases at the heart of allegations against Dr Southall that led to him being struck off on Tuesday.

Mrs Alexander said an inquiry would bring justice for all the families.

Lawrence first came under Dr Southall's care as a baby in 1987 at London's Royal Brompton Hospital.

I am truly relieved, I may now be able to get a night's sleep Janet Alexander, mother 'Why was my file secret?'

His parents Janet and Robin had become worried by episodes when he stopped breathing.

The paediatrician accused them of trying to harm Lawrence and started care proceedings against the couple.

A file containing some original medical documents was then held at a hospital where the baby was never treated. Dr Southall took it there when he changed jobs.

The General Medical Council (GMC) has concluded that was an abuse of his professional position.

Mrs Alexander said: "It's been a huge responsibility and a burden knowing that this man is so dangerous and that he is making so many terrible mistakes and having to sit back and watch the catastrophe unroll.

Lawrence was shocked by the allegations against his parents

"I am truly relieved, I may now be able to get a night's sleep and we're hoping now there will be a full public inquiry into all his research work on all these babies and that justice will finally be done."

Lawrence, now 21, has been "severely ill" for seven years and the special case file kept by Dr Southall may have helped diagnose his condition, she added.

In its ruling, the GMC found that Dr Southall's actions added to the distress of Mandy Morris, also from Shropshire, whose 10-year-old son Lee hanged himself in 1996.

He accused her of drugging and murdering her son.

The GMC also ruled that, in some cases, Dr Southall acted inappropriately in keeping original medical documents on children in his care in his own special case files separately from their official medical records.