GMC drops charges against two GPs who signed Shipman's forms
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《英国医生杂志》
Two doctors who counter-signed cremation forms for patients murdered by Harold Shipman have had charges against them dropped by the General Medical Council. The GMC's fitness to practise panel ruled that it lacked sufficient evidence to find Dr Peter Bennett and Dr Rajesh Patel guilty of serious professional misconduct.
Three other GPs accused in the case, Jeremy Dirckze, Stephen Farrar, and Alastair MacGillivray, saw their applications for dismissal refused and were told that their hearings will continue. A sixth GP, Susan Booth, was not present or represented at the hearing, and her case will also continue.
Lawyers for the GPs, who all live in Hyde, Greater Manchester, submitted applications for the charges to be dismissed, arguing that the evidence against them was "tenuous, weak, and inconsistent." GMC rules dictate that when the evidence has been presented cases should be stopped if the panel considers that the factual charges have not been proved or if the evidence does not appear sufficiently grave to warrant a finding of serious professional misconduct.
In the cases of Dr Bennett and Dr Patel the panel found that although both GPs "could be found guilty of professional misconduct" a finding of serious professional misconduct was inappropriate for "a single incident in a long career in general practice."
Dr Bennett signed a "cremation form C" for Ethel Bennett (no relation), who was murdered by Shipman in 1988. Dr Patel signed a form C for Marjorie Waller, killed by Shipman in 1996.
The other doctors are accused of failing to note warning signs in more than one death. Together, the six signed a total of 214 form Cs for Shipman over an 18 year period. Of these, 124 were for patients later ruled to have been unlawfully killed.(Owen Dyer)
Three other GPs accused in the case, Jeremy Dirckze, Stephen Farrar, and Alastair MacGillivray, saw their applications for dismissal refused and were told that their hearings will continue. A sixth GP, Susan Booth, was not present or represented at the hearing, and her case will also continue.
Lawyers for the GPs, who all live in Hyde, Greater Manchester, submitted applications for the charges to be dismissed, arguing that the evidence against them was "tenuous, weak, and inconsistent." GMC rules dictate that when the evidence has been presented cases should be stopped if the panel considers that the factual charges have not been proved or if the evidence does not appear sufficiently grave to warrant a finding of serious professional misconduct.
In the cases of Dr Bennett and Dr Patel the panel found that although both GPs "could be found guilty of professional misconduct" a finding of serious professional misconduct was inappropriate for "a single incident in a long career in general practice."
Dr Bennett signed a "cremation form C" for Ethel Bennett (no relation), who was murdered by Shipman in 1988. Dr Patel signed a form C for Marjorie Waller, killed by Shipman in 1996.
The other doctors are accused of failing to note warning signs in more than one death. Together, the six signed a total of 214 form Cs for Shipman over an 18 year period. Of these, 124 were for patients later ruled to have been unlawfully killed.(Owen Dyer)