news.stv.tv on June 12, 2012 reported that a pensioner's leg had to be amputated after a care home nurse failed to give him a week's worth of medication for deep vein thrombosis, a hearing has been told. Stella Nthinya, 34, is said to have failed to administer the drug on five consecutive days and did not call a doctor when the man's foot turned blue. She then faked records and threw away the missed medication to cover her tracks, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard. The alleged blunders happened between February 8 and February 12, 2007, at the Southern Cross-run Newark Care Home in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde.
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United Kingdom: Nurse faces charges of misconduct
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United Kingdom: Nurse may lose job over violent attack
thisisleicestershire.co.uk on June 12, 2012 reported that a nurse who attacked his girlfriend in a drunken rage and stole strong painkillers from work may lose his job. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NWC) heard how Corey Newcombe kicked the woman on her left arm and banged her head during a domestic assault at her home. He then pulled the sheets off their bed, picked her up and shouted: "Are you f***ing ready?", the council heard. Police were called and Newcombe, who worked in the medical admissions unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary, was arrested. The NWC heard that when searched, he was found to be in possession of high-strength painkiller diazepam, which had not been prescribed.
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Ireland: Girl awarded €380,000 in negligence case
irishtimes.com on June 14, 2012 reported that a teenage girl who suffered a shoulder injury at birth is to receive €380,000 under a settlement of her High Court action made without admission of liability. Mary Griffin (15), Shanacloon, Fermoy, Co Cork, through her father Donal, had sued a consultant obstetrician, Patrick Kieran, Orchard Road, Cork, and Bon Secours Health System Ltd, College Road, Cork, over alleged negligence during her birth at the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, in 1997.
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United Kingdom: Bogus doctor guilty of sexually assaulting four women
eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk on June 13, 2012 reported that a bogus GP faced jail on Wednesday after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting four women. Antonio Gobbato, 51, lured the women into surgeries where he pretended to practice medicine before assaulting them. The Brazilian also conned three parents by convincing them that their children needed expensive and urgent medical treatment abroad. He displayed no emotion as he was convicted by a jury at Inner London Crown Court of five charges of sexual assault on four patients, as well as three fraud charges. Victims told the court they had been examined with cosmetic spatulas, with one woman complaining Gobbato squeezed her nipples.
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United Kingdom: Authorities suspend doctor for dishonest claims
deadlinenews.co.uk June 15, 2012 reported that a Scottish doctor who dishonestly took extra pay from her employers and wrote prescriptions for herself and her family has been suspended for a year. Dr Victoria Waugh, from Aberdeen, knew she was being paid £700 a month more than she was entitled to but kept quiet. The doctor also wrote a total of 10 prescriptions for herself and her family, including her son. Dr Waugh, who worked as a GP at Elmbank Medical Practice, received an extra £5,600 in her pay packet over nine months as a result. The General Medical Council (GMC) brought seven charges against the doctor, including she “dishonestly received pay to which you were not entitled.” Dr Waugh denied knowing she was being paid for 70% of a full-time week when she was only working 50%, but this was found proved by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS).
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United Kingdom: Hertfordshire doctor's jail term extended by two years
lutontoday.co.uk June 17, 2012 reported that a jailed Hertfordshire doctor who tried to poison his pregnant lover has had his jail sentence extended by two years after he was found guilty of plotting to frame her from behind bars, according to police. Edward Erin was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court for a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The medic was previously jailed for six years in 2009 for trying to give Bella Prowse miscarriage-inducing drugs by grinding up tablets and spiking her Starbucks coffee and then a bottle of orange juice. He is now to serve the sentence handed down to him on Friday by Judge Richard Price consecutively to that which he is already serving. For the offence of perverting the course of justice, Erin had contacted a former cellmate, Joe Mallia, asking him to steal Miss Prowse's mobile phone and send fake messages saying she had made up evidence against him.
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United Kingdom: Investigation Committee reprimands doctor over malpractice
christianconcern.com on June 14, 2012 reported that the General Medical Council’s Investigation Committee has today reprimanded a Christian doctor for sharing his faith with a patient at the end of a private consultation. The GMC has ruled that his actions ‘did not meet the standards required of a doctor’. Dr Richard Scott has now been issued with a Warning which will remain on his record for five years. The National Secular Society encouraged the proceedings and handed transcripts of evidence to the Committee, detailing Dr Scott’s appearances on radio and television where he had defended himself. Dr Scott, who has been a doctor for over 28 years in Margate, Kent, was initially investigated by the GMC after it received a complaint from a patient that Dr Scott had discussed the benefits of Christianity with him. The GMC proceeded with the case despite the fact that the patient made it clear that he did not want to pursue the complaint, and repeatedly refused to give evidence in person.
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United Kingdom: Banned nurse back to work
eveningexpress.co.uk on June 18, 2012 reported that a nurse who was banned from the profession for nine months for a series of mistakes in Aberdeen is set to return to work. Nicanor Sindanum has been granted permission from the Nursing and Midwifery Council to take a position at a care home in Eastbourne.
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Ireland: Dentist given a 15-month suspended sentence in sexual assault case
irishtimes.com on June 19, 2012 reported that a 60-year-old dentist was given a 15-month suspended sentence for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old dental nurse just days after she began work at his surgery in Cork almost six years ago. John Tait, a father of three, of Glen House, Upper Rochestown, Cork, had been found guilty last May at Cork Circuit Criminal Court of sexually assaulting the woman at his surgery at St Patrick’s Terrace, Douglas, on December 20th, 2006. Yesterday Judge Raymond Fullam imposed a 15-month sentence on Tait, but he suspended it on condition of good behaviour. At the sentencing hearing a summary of the case was given by investigating garda Sgt Derek Mulcahy, and a victim impact statement was given by the woman.
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United Kingdom: Woman sues hospital over hepatitis C infection
seacoastonline.com on June 14, 2012 reported that a 61-year-old Newmarket woman filed suit against Exeter Hospital on Thursday claiming she contracted hepatitis C in the hospital’s cardiac catheterization lab as a result of the hospital’s “wanton, reckless and gross negligence.” Her Portsmouth attorney, Michael Rainboth, said the woman is a retired medical professional who “is devastated.” He said his client contracted the potentially-fatal disease while a hospital patient on Feb. 3 and is currently in a rehabilitation facility for an infection she also acquired at the hospital. Her second infection is described as a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, which is caused by a strain of staph bacteria that’s resistant to antibiotics.
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United Kingdom: Doctor in court for making up blood tests records to gain extra money
bournemouthecho.co.uk on June 19, 2012 reported that a GP has appeared in court accused of making up records of blood tests to gain extra money from the health service. Dr Ralph Vadas denies the charge of false accounting by falsifying entries on patient records on a computer system while he was at the West Canford Heath surgery in Poole, Roderick Blain, prosecuting, said in running the practice in Ryall Road, Vadas made the records in order to gain extra funds totalling “just under £2,000” from Bournemouth and Poole Primary Care Trust. At Bournemouth Crown Court he said an investigation into the computer records of the 61-year-old doctor began when Canford Heath surgery gained 100 per cent on a points system gauged to determine the surgery’s performance. The number of blood tests entered by Vadas, of Dukes Drive, Bearwood, Bournemouth, directly affected the amount of money he received.
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United Kingdom: Doctor struck off for submitting false prescriptions
yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk on June 19, 2012 reported that a doctor who submitted false prescriptions after developing an addiction to codeine has been struck off. Emily Heinzman was given a suspended jail sentence in 2009. She had admitted 16 offences of fraud. Now the former Leeds GP has also been struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC). A judgement said: “The panel is satisfied that, in this case, Dr Heinzman’s behaviour demonstrates a blatant disregard for the system of registration.” At her sentencing hearing in April 2009, Leeds Crown Court was told that Heinzman stole more than 4,000 painkilling tablets using false addresses. The doctor submitted numerous false prescriptions for codeine phosphate when she became hooked on the prescription drug while working as a trainee GP. In her defence, the court was told she had started to drink heavily after becoming involved in an unhappy relationship and used codeine to cope with hangovers.
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South Africa: Doctor pleads not guilty to allegations by former patient
iol.co.za on June 19, 2012 reported that a Durban medical doctor, facing six counts of unprofessional conduct for allegedly charging a patient for services not rendered, has denied all allegations against him. Dr Bright Sibonakaliso Madlala, 38, pleaded not guilty to allegations by former patient, Ntuthuko Luthuli, that he had submitted false claims to Telemed Medical Aid scheme for a period of two years. In his plea explanation submitted to the panel committee at a Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) inquiry on Monday, Madlala who was in charge of managing patients and their medical files at his practice in Albert Park, Durban, said he was entitled to the fees charged.
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Russia: Military doctor arrested over bribery
twocircles.net on June 21, 2012 reported that a top military medical officer in Russia has been arrested after being caught red-handed accepting a hefty bribe, officials said. Maj. Gen. Yury Sabanin, head of the medical military command of Russia's interior troops, was held in a hospital after he locked himself up in the lavatory and attempted to throw a briefcase containing 2.5 million rubles ($77,000) out of the window, investigators said. He feigned a cardiac arrest before being dragged away by police.
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United Kingdom: Dentists stand trial over cheating charges
thisisleicestershire.co.uk on June 21, 2012 reported that two dentists have gone on trial accused of cheating the NHS out of £46,000. It is claimed Dr Werner Muller and Dr John Atkinson fraudulently billed the NHS for work they had carried out privately, at the Clarendon Road dental practice in Hinckley. Muller (45), who is accused of duping the NHS out of £26,046, denies 20 charges of false accounting, relating to 140 fraudulent claims that work was done for the health service when it was done privately. Atkinson (64) denies 17 similar counts, involving £20,269 and 91 fraudulent claims to the NHS, during 2006 and 2007. Both also deny evasion of liability by deception and fraud, relating to their alleged manipulation of the computerised billing system.
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United Kingdom: Doctor struck off for filming female friends in shower
yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk on June 21, 2012 reported that a heart doctor who secretly filmed female friends in the shower has been struck off. Vivek Baliga was convicted of three charges of voyeurism after admitting using a video camera to spy on two women colleagues. He was sentenced to a three-year community order by a Leeds Crown Court judge. Now he has been struck off the medical register. A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel said: “The panel has concluded that your actions are fundamentally incompatible with you continuing to be a registered medical practitioner.” Baliga, who at the time of the case lived at Springfield Mount, Horsforth, invited one doctor and her boyfriend to stay at his home. When using his en-suite shower, the woman became suspicious about boxes against the window. She found the device, which was still recording, in a box.
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United Kingdom: Accused nurse to continue caring for sick
brentwoodweeklynews.co.uk on June 21, 2012 reported that a nurse admitted stealing “low value” items from Farleigh Hospice, but will be allowed to continue caring for the sick. A Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing ruled Tina Bannister-Church was not “an innately dishonest person” and her fitness to practise was not impaired. It was alleged that between October 22, 2007 and July 12, 2010 she stole incontinence pads, disposable gloves, clinical wipes, Hospec cleaning fluid and food provided for the residents from the hospice, in North Court Road, Chelmsford.
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United Kingdom: Doctor faces being barred for luring minor girls
falkirkherald.co.uk on July 05, 2012 reported that an evil doctor who tried to lure two little girls into his car faces being struck off. Leslie Mitchell (59) was jailed in September 2010 after committing the offence in Carronshore in January that year. This week, a tribunal decided his fitness was “impaired” following the conviction. Mitchell, who worked in the A&E department at the then Stirling Royal Infirmary, was locked up and placed on the sex offenders register after he admitted the breach of the peace with sexual overtones. He pled guilty to stopping the two girls, aged 10 and 11, in Webster Avenue, Carronshore, talking to them and asking if he could tickle their legs. He then attempted to entice them into this car. When he appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court, the case was remitted to the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing after Sheriff Craig Caldwell said his powers were limited and the doctor posed a “significant” risk, particularly to young girls.
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United Kingdom: Nurse faces charges of submitting fake claims
thisisleicestershire.co.uk on July 07, 2012 reported that a hospital nurse accused of submitting bogus claims for shifts he did not work has been given two months to prove his innocence. Richard Davies has been accused of lying on official forms to claim overtime pay when he had not been working. The former Leicester Royal Infirmary deputy charge nurse was sacked after his boss spotted claims for weekend shifts he allegedly did not work. But Davies says he was given permission to claim overtime for doing administration work at home, and can prove he worked some shifts he is accused of lying about. The case in front of the Nursing and Midwifery Council panel was adjourned yesterday to give Davies more time to back up his claims and find legal representation. Sheila Hewitt, who chaired the hearing, said: "You believe potential witnesses will support your case and submit there is no danger to the public and no risk to patients during a period of adjournment.
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United Kingdom: 55-yr-old nurse who told paralyzed patient to shut up, guilty of misconduct
bbc.co.uk on July 11, 2012 reported that a panel has ruled a nurse's actions in telling a paralysed patient to shut up or she would call his family and put him out in the car park was misconduct. But Caroline Gervaise-Brazier was cleared of advising colleagues not to rush to revive a patient if needed. The 55-year-old of Trecenydd, Caerphilly, was cleared of two further misconduct charges, but admitted one of removing sheets from Rookwood Hospital. The Nursing and Midwifery Council panel will decide if sanctions are needed. Miss Gervaise-Brazier was dismissed from her job on a spinal unit ward at Rookwood Hospital in Cardiff after the incidents.
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