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Breast-check ban for Accrington hospital ‘cancer error’ doctor (From Blackburn Citizen)
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Breast-check ban for Accrington hospital ‘cancer error’ doctor
3:32pm Friday 20th November 2009
A DOCTOR accused of failing to identify cancer in 18 women has been suspended from carrying out breast assessment work.
Dr Glenn Anthony Kelly is alleged to have given the women the all-clear while working as a senior radiologist at the Accrington Victoria Hospital.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has imposed 10 conditions on his registration.
The GMC's Interim Orders Panel said Dr Kelly could not carry out any breast assessment work until May 2011.
But its investigation is still underway and it could yet call him before a Fitness to Practise hearing to consider whether to strike him off the register altogether.
A GMC spokesman said: “It's not a final finding of fact against the doctor.
“He can still practise but only with these conditions on his registration.
“This order will last for 18 months but will be reviewed every six months.”
The consultant has not conducted breast screenings since last December and not worked at the trust since April.
It was revealed in September that 355 mammograms had to be re-checked when colleagues raised concerns at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.
Eighty-five women had to undergo a second breast examination, and 14 were told they had invasive breast cancer. Another four women were diagnosed with a secondary breast condition, ductal carcinoma in situ.
Some of those affected were from Blackburn and Darwen but the majority live in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale and the Ribble Valley.
Dr Kelly qualified from the University of London in 1980 and had been registered as a clinical radiologist since September 1999.
It is understood that he had reached clinical director level at the hospital 15 years ago.
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Davidoff, n/a says...
7:00pm Fri 20 Nov 09
He man should be treated no differently to anyone who makes mistake - except here he's affected patients, not to mention the misery caused! It's outrageous! He should be made culpable, the only punishment being getting struck off before he damages anyone elses lives! Seems reasonable to me. These are only PEOPLE we are talking about here. And for someone with 15 years experience it completely beggars belief. Is this person FIT to practice on people???
I wonder how many of those whose lives will have been torn apart after first being told they were clear, now they aren't got an apology from the local NHS authority?
Today it's been announced by some 'advisory' group that an apology from the NHS for doing wrong, making mistakes is a better way of doing things as it lessens complaints, legal action. I find it shocking that it takes an advisory committee to even have to TELL/ADVISE such a large organisation such as the NHS it has to apologize for it's mistake. The very fact it needs to be told to do something so basic is shocking in itself. Used to be called 'honesty'. However, one would imagine they are being advised to do this not because they are genuinely sorry but because it lessens the chances of any action for malpractice or non-culpability.
But what does it take and how much evidence does there need to be before someone's 'fitness to practice' is revoked?
Seem to recall a doctor by the name of 'Shipman' not being checked ... look where that ended up. That is just an analogy here to point out that way too many of these people aren't checked on until it's too late. Why? Simply because of their profession.
Seems that the days of going to a GP, consultant to get better are well and truly gone. Now you go to get misdiagnosed, then told months later that you are potentially terminally ill but why wasn't it spotted sooner?
Oh, never mind. We are only talking about a life here.