Medical Council told how woman died

A CONSULTANT surgeon has acknowledged “shortcomings” in the clinical notes of a woman who died five days after being admitted to hospital with a suspected bowel obstruction.

Dr Jarvaid Ahmad Butt was appearing before a fitness-to-practise inquiry by the Medical Council yesterday, investigating the death of a woman four years ago.

Colette Donohoe (54) from Crumlin, Dublin, died in August 2006 from multiple organ failure, sepsis and severe infectious colitis in St James’s Hospital. The family claims there was neglect in her treatment.

Ms Donohoe was admitted on Thursday, August 17th, and seen by Dr Butt the next day when he prescribed a “conservative management” of her condition.

In his evidence, Dr Butt’s registrar, Dr Dervesh Singh, said he saw Ms Donohoe on the Saturday morning. Asked who would have continued her examinations over the weekend, he said: “I’m not aware of the plan, unless Dr Butt planned to come in himself.”

Dr Singh apologised he had made “no notes regarding the patient”.

When counsel for the Medical Council JP McDowell asked Dr Butt who was responsible for reviewing Ms Donohoe from Saturday morning, Dr Butt said it was the shared on-call senior house officer, Dr Catherine de Blacam.

He said he expected her to see his patients and if there were signs of concern, he would expect she or the nursing staff to contact him.

When questioned by Mr McDowell, Dr de Blacam, said while she was a part of the surgical on-call team that weekend, her primary responsibility was to the emergency department, that she had not done a ward round of Dr Butt’s patients on Sunday 20th and had no recollection of Dr Butt being in contact with her in relation to Ms Donohoe.

Ms Donohoe’s condition deteriorated on Monday afternoon and she died on Tuesday August 22nd. Dr Butt said the discovery of extensive C. difficile colitis in Ms Donohoe’s autopsy was a “surprise” and he had never seen such a rapid development . He said even if he had operated on the Monday, he would not have discovered it.

He contended Ms Donohoe had a condition “not clear to anyone”. The hearing is to resume on January 17th.