Doctor suspended after miss diagnosis resulted in boy’s death

A Merseyside doctor who failed to spot sepsis which killed a young boy in December 2013 has his medical license suspended.

What Happened?

The boy, who suffered with complex health needs, was originally diagnosed with a chest infection by his GP, when his condition deteriorated he was admitted to Whiston Hospital.

He was first examined by the department’s clinical director, who suspected the child may have sepsis and a lower respiratory tract infection.

Dr Thiagarajan Sundaravadivelu, who was a locum registrar, took over the case at midnight and confirmed the nine-year-old had a minor chest infection, provided him with anti-biotics and discharged him. It was then six hours later that the patient died.

Investigation

The tribunal found Dr Sundaravadivelu did not adequately examine the boy, or take an adequate history from his mother before discharging him.

The locum registrar stopped working at Whiston Hospital shortly after the incident; he admitted that he had failed to do enough to diagnose the fatal condition.

The tribunal said his conduct would be regarded as deplorable by fellow practitioners, but added it was an isolated incident. After his suspension, the doctor will face a review before going back to work.

A spokeswoman for St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“The doctor was referred to the General Medical Council after the trust found failings in the care he provided to a patient.

“The GMC has decided to suspend him for four months. The doctor has not worked at the trust since soon after the incident.”

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Source: Liverpool Echo