Fitness-to-practise inquiry into obstetric registrar adjourned

A fitness-to-practise inquiry into allegations of professional misconduct and poor professional performance by an obstetrics registrar has been adjourned to February.

The third day of the Medical Council inquiry into 'Dr A' took place in Dublin on Tuesday.

Dr A was involved in the delivery of baby Mark Molloy, who died at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise on January 24th, 2012.

Róisín and Mark Molloy, the baby’s parents, have told the inquiry they were informed their baby boy was stillborn but later found out that he had been born alive.

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Ms Molloy told the inquiry last week the couple were “devastated” after unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate their baby. He died about 22 minutes after his birth by caesarean section.

The Molloys obtained records from the hospital using Freedom of Information legislation, and later sought records from the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health.

They discovered that baby Mark had been born alive but had been recorded as stillborn. The coroner was also notified it had been a stillbirth.

Ultimately, an inquest recorded death due to medical misadventure and a neonatal death.

It is alleged Dr A failed to review the cardiotocograph (CTG) adequately and failed to correctly interpret it as being abnormal.

It is also alleged that on or around January 24th, 2012, Dr A retrospectively amended a CTG note from satisfactory to unsatisfactory and added the word non-reassuring where the doctor “knew or ought to have known it was inappropriate”.

Dr A is also alleged to have prescribed or directed the commencement of Syntocinon “in circumstances where this was inappropriate” and failed to consult the consultant on call in a timely manner.

Dr A, who is representing himself, has rejected the majority of the allegations.

Dr A has said he did amend the CTG note to unsatisfactory but that he did not know this was inappropriate or that he should have signed and dated the amendment.

The hearing was adjourned on Tuesday after discussion of legal matters.