Barred doctor loses work appeal

John Evans-Appiah has held 42 jobs in 23 years

An anaesthetist who was struck off following the death of a 10-year-old boy during a tooth extraction has failed in a bid to return to work.

John Evans-Appiah, 64, was in charge of anaesthesia during the procedure in which 10-year-old Darren Denholm died from a heart attack in 1999.

He blamed the tragedy on untrained staff at Edinburgh's Peffermill Clinic.

Evans-Appiah insisted he was not a danger to the public. Darren's family said they were "disgusted" by the move.

You continue to represent a serious risk to patients GMC panel

The anaesthetist, who trained in the Ukraine, held 42 jobs in 23 years, working as a locum doctor across the UK.

Evans-Appiah was struck off by the General Medical Council six years ago.

He told the GMC that he was now safe to practice, but his application was refused.

He had told council members: "I don't think I am a danger to anybody.

"I know that there are some skeletons in my cupboard, and I know that I've been proved to be dishonest, but in this country I understand there is the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.

"If you do something wrong but you do something about it then I think anybody is entitled to a pardon."

Darren Denholm died from a heart attack in 1999

Darren's mother, Isla Denholm, earlier said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the move.

She said: "After Evans-Appiah was struck off, the GMC assured our family he would never be allowed to practise again."

Mrs Denholm, of Armadale, West Lothian, added: "I cannot believe he has even been allowed to appear before them. It is a huge insult."

Three weeks after Darren's death, Dr Evans-Appiah caused a woman agony by failing to sedate her adequately while she underwent a Caesarean section at a hospital in Kent.

Hazel Woolger said the experience had been like the horror movie A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Evans-Appiah, of Cambrian Road, Leyton, was born in Ghana.

In its ruling, the GMC panel told Evans-Appiah: "It [the panel] considers that your failures, revealed by the PCC [Professional Conduct Committee] hearing and now, fall far short of accepted standards of competence, honesty and integrity that the public has a right to expect of registered medical practitioners.

"You continue to represent a serious risk to patients and the panel is in no doubt that your shortcomings are fundamentally incompatible with being a registered medical practitioner."