A doctor who failed to send a patient for further investigative surgery that would have given him up to a 95 per cent chance of survival has been has been found guilty of professional misconduct following a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry.
The fitness-to-practise committee today recommended Cork-based GP Dr Pat Lee be suspended from practising for three months after he admitted skimming a report advising surgery for the now terminally ill patient and missing the recommendations laid out by the hospital.
The patient, Garda supt Martin Dorney from Waterfall, Ballingcollig, Co Cork, is now battling stage four skin cancer as a result.
He had presented himself to Dr Lee in August 2003 with a mole on his right thigh. Dr Lee excised it and sent it to the pathology department at Cork University Hospital (CUH) for examination. A report back from the hospital indicated the mole was not malignant.
However, a recommendation was made that Supt Dorney attend the hospital for a wider local incision procedure. The mole was described as markedly dysplastic in nature, often a precursor to melanoma.
Dr Lee admitted he skimmed the report following his return from a holiday and missed the recommendations laid out by the hospital. He subsequently told Supt Dorney the mole was benign.
When Supt Dorney was found to have skin cancer six years later, his doctor re-read the initial report, realised the error and tried to conceal the truth from his patient and other medical professionals, a hearing was told.
Supt Dorney told the Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry he was devastated when doctors informed him of his cancer diagnosis last year.
He spoke of the breach of trust by Dr Lee, who claimed he did not receive the initial recommendation of further investigations in 2003 due to an administrative error.
“His [Dr Lee’s response] was that because of an administrative error in his surgery that me and my family were facing down the barrel of a gun. He eventually [at a later appointment] admitted that he realised his mistake".
The fitness to practice committee found Dr Lee’s behaviour fell “seriously short of the standards expected of a medical practitioner”.
“His dishonesty and deliberate deception and persistent attempts to avoid taking responsibility for his failure to carefully and comprehensively read and follow-up on 50-year-old Martin Dorney's histology report in 2003 constitutes disgraceful and dishonourable conduct.”
The committee recommended a three month suspension. It also recommended Dr Lee undergo supervision for a period of two years and undertake a course in Professionalism in Practice.