Medical Council hears woman died one day after visiting GP

A doctor is facing 11 allegations in connection with his care of a 20-year-old woman who died one day after she was seen by the medical professional in June 2007.

Vicki Core (20) was pronounced dead in Tallaght Hospital on Sunday, July 1st, 2007, the day after she attended a GP, referred to as 'Dr A' by the Medical Council.

She was diagnosed with gastric flu and was prescribed Motilium by a doctor the day before she died, a Medical Council fitness-to-practice inquiry heard today.

Among the allegations made against Dr A is that he failed to carry out one or more examinations in a competent manner, that he failed to arrange for her to be referred to hospital, and failed to give adequate considerations to the results of blood tests arranged in the same GP practice by Dr B in early June 2007.

It is also alleged the doctor failed to maintain adequate records of his consultation with Ms Core and that he made additions to his records after he became aware of her death which were not highlighted as being retrospective additions.

Solicitor Neasa Bird, BL appearing on behalf of the chief executive of the Medical Council, said the council would hear evidence that, on the day she attended the GP practice, Ms Core was in a weakened condition to the point where she had to be helped in and out of the doctor's surgery by her father and was lying on the floor and across chairs in the waiting room; was having difficulty breathing and was complaining of palpitations and weakness.

The inquiry heard Ms Core had been diagnosed with gastric flu and prescribed Motilium.

The hearing was told Ms Core collapsed the following morning in her home where she lived with her parents and was taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital.

When she reached the hospital she was in cardiac arrest and died a short time later.

The Medical Council heard that a postmortem examination concluded the likely cause of death was community acquired bronchial pneumonia.

The inquiry continues this afternoon.