Pill tragedy: Doctor to face GMC over death of Newport woman, 23
A doctor who was referred to the General Medical Council after a 23-year-old Newport woman died from taking the contraceptive pill, will now face a misconduct hearing.
An oral hearing of the GMC’s investigation committee on June 2 will look into allegations made against Doctor Sunil Idicula Simon, who was referred to the council following the death of Charlotte Foster.
Miss Foster, of Trinity Mews, Newport, died on January 25 last year from a blood clot caused by taking the oral contraceptive pill Dianette.
Doctor Simon was referred to the GMC by Shropshire coroner John Ellery following the inquest into her death.
The inquest heard she was displaying symptoms of a pulmonary embolism when she visited him at Wellington Road Surgery, in Newport, on January 4.
She was suffering from difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain and lower back pain, which Dr Simon said was “muscular in origin” and recommended that she “get a massage” or have a spa day.
She later collapsed at work and was admitted to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford on January 22 where she died three days later.
In a document from the GMC in notification of Dr Simon’s hearing, it said the investigation committee will consider whether it is appropriate to issue him with a warning.
It added: “Dr Simon has indicated that he is not prepared to accept a warning as proposed by GMC case examiners, and has elected to have his case heard by the investigation committee at an oral hearing.”
The document said allegations to be discussed relate to December 24, 2015 and January 4, 2016.
The accusations allegation is that during a telephone consultations with “Patient A”, and a second consultation with Patient A, he failed to obtain an adequate history, consider the possibility of a pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, arrange appropriate investigations, refer the patient to hospital, or make arrangements for a follow-up consultation if Patient A’s symptoms persisted.
He is also accused of failing to consider stopping the prescription of Dianette, recording an adequate history, considerations of DVT or PE, arrangements for follow-up consultations if symptoms persisted or a consideration of stopping Dianette prescriptions.
It is alleged that during the consultation on January 4 2016, Dr Simon “failed to examine Patient A’s respiratory system, legs or scapula and failed to record her pulse, oxygen saturations or safety netting advice given”.
The one-day hearing will be held at St James’s Building, on Oxford Street in Manchester, at 9.30am on June 2.
