Doctor faces disciplinary panel after hospital deaths

Dr Salawati Abdul-Salam admitted making errors with four patients

A doctor has been told by the General Medical Council (GMC) that she had a "disregard for patient safety" while working at hospitals in south Wales.

A panel is due to make a decision in the case of Dr Salawati Abdul-Salam.

A disciplinary hearing was told Dr Abdul-Salam wrongly diagnosed Aleesha Evans, nine months, of Newport, who died of blood poisoning the next day.

She admitted making errors with four patients and said she was "sorry". The case was adjourned to Wednesday.

She has been working as a locum at the Kent and Sussex Hospital in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, for five months.

A man suffered a collapsed lung under Dr Abdul-Salam's care and a 10-year-old girl, who required treatment under anaesthetic for a broken wrist, was sent to an outpatients' clinic.

Aleesha Evans died after being discharged from hospital

GMC chairman Professor Denis McDevitt said the doctor's behaviour was "careless'".

"These failures demonstrate irresponsible behaviour with elements of wilfulness and overconfidence, and show a disregard for patient safety," he said.

The hearing was told how Colin Perriam, 66, died after Dr Abdul-Salam accidentally analysed six month old blood samples then wrongly diagnosed a ruptured ulcer as constipation.

Emergency surgery

Mr Perriam was discharged by her from the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, on December 15, 2004 with a prescription of laxatives.

But the next day Mr Perriam fell unconscious and died following emergency surgery

The hearing was also told that in August 2006 nine-month-old Aleesha Evans was taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, with vomiting, a rash and a temperature of 37 degrees.

This is not behaviour that is to be expected of a medical practitioner Prof Denis McDevitt, General Medical Council chairman

Dr Abdul-Salam, a trainee specialist registrar, did not examine her and discharged her two hours later with a diagnosis of viral illness, noting her condition was "unremarkable".

But the baby's temperature had risen to 39 degrees and in fact she was suffering from meningococcal septicaemia. She died the following day.

Dr Abdul-Salam was placed under supervision but broke the terms imposed.

Brian Coleman, for the GMC, said: "Within days she began to exceed the number of clinical hours she had agreed to perform. She began to see patients without supervision and she began to discharge patients without consultant involvement.

"Out of 98 patients that she saw while she should have been operating under the terms of the plan, she discharged 38 of these without either discussion or signature by the consultant and 12 of these were seen during hours that she should not have been working."

Senior colleagues

Prof McDevitt said her fitness to practise was "impaired".

"You breached the agreement you entered into and undermined the trust which senior colleagues had been prepared to place in you.

"This is not behaviour that is to be expected of a medical practitioner.

"The panel has found that, taken together, your failures in respect of your managements of patients amounted to deficient professional performance.

"In addition, the complete lack of attention to detail and the serious degree of carelessness in your management of patients, together with your irresponsible behaviour in your disregard of the conditions of your reintegration plan, amounted to misconduct."

The panel is due to make a decision in the case later.