A PALLIATIVE care consultant, who allegedly failed to provide a patient who had a brain tumour with adequate pain relief when he was admitted to University College Hospital in Galway, appeared before a Medical Council fitness to practise inquiry yesterday.
Dr Dympna Waldron faces a total of 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 in relation to his care.
The inquiry heard Mr Clarke, who suffered from constant headaches, was too ill to give evidence in relation to his complaint to the Medical Council against Dr Waldron, but that 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.
Paul Anthony McDermott, for the council, told the inquiry that Mr Clarke was admitted on April 28th, 2007. He was under the care of three teams, including the endocrinology, pain and palliative care teams.
Dr Julia Riley, head of palliative medicine at the Royal Brompton and Royal Marsden NHS trusts in England, said, having reviewed the medical notes in his case, she felt it was “very unwise” of Dr Waldron to reduce the dose of one of the medicines Mr Clarke was taking by half on his first day of admission.
Dr Riley said there was no evidence from the notes of a systematic or “logical” approach or plan being adopted to address his pain problem. She felt management of his pain was “unacceptably poor”. However, she said it was very difficult for Dr Waldron to operate in an environment where there was “ad hoc prescribing”. She felt the care provided to Mr Clarke fell seriously short of what would be expected.
When cross-examined by Nicholas Butler, counsel for Dr Waldron, she accepted Mr Clarke’s case was highly complex.
Mr Butler said Mr Clarke had been seen by at least 19 different consultants, as well as by four GPs.
Dr Waldron denies all the allegations and the inquiry continues today.