Anthony Haycroft success at the General Medical Council

Anthony Haycroft has successfully defended a doctor in the General Medical Council in Manchester against serious allegations of misconduct. The case involved a Specialist Registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology and his dealings with the birth of a baby who was to die shortly after birth. It was alleged the doctor lied about his actions and then dishonestly altered the birth record retrospectively to accord with his version of the events.

The doctor accepted he breached Good Medical Practice in respect of certain aspects of his note taking but strenuously denied the grave accusations made against him. All charges which were not accepted were found not proven by the Panel and indeed his version of events was accepted by the Panel. The case involved detailed technical midwifery and obstetric and gynaecological expert evidence. The doctor subsequently retained as a General Practitioner. In relation to the admitted errors the Panel accepted Anthony Haycroft's submissions that this was a single episode of negligence that did not reach the threshold for a finding of impairment of fitness to practise and also that no warning was necessary.

Anthony Haycroft was instructed by Ms Sowmya Jagannath of Ryans Solicitors instructed by Dr Sally Barnard at the Medical Defence Union.