Error by GP sparked severe drug reaction
A DOCTOR who prescribed penicillin for a patient who is allergic to the drug has been found guilty of sub-standard practise.
The blunder by Meir GP Dr Richard Aw triggered such a severe reaction in the woman she needed emergency hospital treatment, a disciplinary tribunal heard.
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She told the hearing at the General Medical Council (GMC) in Manchester that Dr Aw was also 'arrogant' during the consultation and appeared 'not bothered' about her even being there.
Dr Aw, pictured below, admitted the mistake which happened in February 2008.
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But the tribunal decided it was an isolated incident and as it fell short of misconduct he was fit to continue to work without restriction.
Dr Aw now works at the Willow Bank practice which moved from Pickford Place into the town's new £11million primary care centre last year.
But at the time of the mistake he was a locum GP switching between a number of city surgeries.
It also emerged last night that as soon as the case came to light, Dr Aw was not allowed to work without a chaperone pending an investigation by health bosses.
The patient told the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service of the GMC she had visited the surgery with a chest infection.
Dr Aw pressed ahead with prescribing the antibiotic despite twice being told she was allergic to penicillin.
A red box also flashed up on computerised medical notes alerting him to the risk.
After taking just one tablet she became so ill she was taken to hospital, the tribunal heard.
It 'found proved' the allegation that the patient had informed the GP of her allergy and that the medical notes available to him recorded her possible sensitivity to the drug. Dr Aw admitted both counts.
In a tribunal lasting several days, the panel also heard from two of the GP's patients who praised his demeanour.
The panel decided not to even issue the medic with a formal warning.
Chairman Gill Mullen told him: "While the error was an isolated one, your conduct departed from standards expected.
"However, we are satisfied you have demonstrated insight into it by undertaking educational courses in an attempt to ensure you do not repeat it.
"You have admitted your error and written to the patient to apologise. You have a previous good history. There is no evidence to suggest repetition has occurred or is likely to occur."
A spokesman for the city's primary care trust said: "Once it came to light we launched an investigation and he was given a chaperone at all times. We also carried out a full assessment of his competency with medications.
"A recent visit to his practice has shown how well thought-of he is."
Comments
by Ron DePlume
Friday, October 19 2012, 11:13AM
“So scfc08 she twice told the GP she was allergic to it. Surely then she wouldn't have expected him to prescribe it ergo she wouldn't question the prescription she had been given and taken it without worrying.
You seem to have gained the assumption somewhere along the line that I was defending the Gp, simply not true. I was defending the patient from your ridiculous allegations that a woman so allergic to penicillin would willingly and knowingly take a drug that could kill her for a bit of compo.”
by scfcscfc08
Thursday, October 18 2012, 11:02PM
“Ron it said in the report:
"A DOCTOR who prescribed PENICILLIN for a patient who is allergic to the drug."
"despite twice being told she was allergic to penicillin."
"She told the hearing at the General Medical Council (GMC) IN MANCHESTER that Dr Aw was also 'ARROGANT' during the consultation and appeared 'NOT BOTHERED' ABOUT HER EVEN BEING THERE."
And you Ron, suggest that this may be the case: 'she believes firmly that her Doctor knows best, something I believe is generational'.
The points I've extracted from the report Ron don't suggest a befuddled woman with generational problems. I'll stick with my impression from reading the report Ron, 'kerching, kerching' and I certainly wouldn't take the PRESCRIBED PENICILLIN if I was allergic to PENICILLIN. OK Ron ;-) ?”
by A_Reader
Thursday, October 18 2012, 7:43PM
“I'm allergic to penicillin too; there is no way I would take it regardless of which doctor prescribed it. Is she an idiot?”
by Ron DePlume
Thursday, October 18 2012, 6:36PM
“by scfcscfc08Thursday, October 18 2012, 6:13PM
"So why did she **kerching, kerching** take it, if she knew she was allergic?"
It doesn't say in the article how old this lady was, but even so at any age it is not surprising that a patient simply take the medication a Doctor has prescribed on pure faith. I ask her age because my Mother is allergic to Penicillin, she's 76 now but doesn't question what is prescribed because she believes firmly that her Doctor knows best, something I believe is generational. Added to that there are so many brand names for penicillin these days its is again not a leap to think that a patient wouldn't make the connection.”
by scfcscfc08
Thursday, October 18 2012, 6:13PM
“So why did she **kerching, kerching** take it, if she knew she was allergic?”
by Stumoo2010
Thursday, October 18 2012, 5:22PM
“Dust off the Compo Forms nurse !”