A GALWAY-based palliative care consultant was yesterday cleared of professional misconduct by a medical council fitness-to-practise committee.
The committee, following a four-day inquiry, said it was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt the allegations against Dr Dympna Waldron could be sustained.
Initially, when the case opened last week, the doctor faced seven allegations of professional misconduct arising out of her involvement in the care of Paul Clarke from Kilkelly, Co Mayo, between April 28th and May 4th, 2007. These related to his pain management by her and her team, follow-up after his discharge and record-keeping for his care. On the third day of the case last Friday, the committee dropped four of the allegations and the remaining three were dismissed yesterday.
Mr Clarke was too ill to give evidence in relation to his complaint to the Medical Council against Dr Waldron, but the inquiry was told his condition now had nothing to do with the manner in which he was treated by Dr Waldron in 2007. At that time, he had a benign brain tumour and suffered from severe headaches.
He was admitted to University College Hospital Galway in April 2007 for optimisation of pain control and it was his dissatisfaction with his treatment there that led to him lodging the complaint.
Dr Julia Riley, head of palliative medicine at the Royal Brompton and Royal Marsden NHS trusts in the UK, said having reviewed the medical notes in Mr Clarke’s case she found no evidence of a systematic or “logical” approach or plan being adopted to address his pain problem while he was in hospital.
Dr Waldron countered in evidence that the records showed day-to-day attention to his overall wellbeing. She also said she spent 1½ hours talking to Mr Clarke and his wife, prior to his admission for pain control, on April 20th.
She admitted yesterday the records did not record Mr Clarke was not wearing a fentanyl patch for pain control on April 28th or 29th. She also said her letter to the medical council, responding to the complaint, contained errors as it was only a draft e-mailed in error.