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Pam Bryson |
Medical centre left in turmoil
GP admits ‘unprofessional behaviour’
A DOCTOR has admitted failing to visit a widow who subsequently died of a suspected heart attack because he assumed her symptoms were down to alcoholism, a disciplinary tribunal was told.
The General Medical Council (GMC) is scrutinising Dr Harbikramjit Chandok’s career after whistleblowing practice manager Jacqueline Granell claimed he altered patient records on learning Pam Bryson, 67, died a day after repeated requests for him to visit.
Ms Granell claims Dr Chandok was twice told by email Ms Bryson, who worked for the Law Society, required a home visit but that he made no record of speaking to her until after she died.
But Dr Chandok, a partner at the Regent’s Park Medical Centre in Cumberland Market, who has been suspended since the patient’s death, admitted changing the computer log after certifying Ms Bryson dead at her Albany Street home. He said: “At that time I was a bit panicky. I didn’t want it to look like I hadn’t phoned the patient when I had.”
Dr Chandok claims he had a three-minute phone conversation with Ms Bryson where he determined her symptoms were not urgent and agreed to visit her the next day.
He admitted not paying particular attention to an email saying Ms Bryson had been feeling unsteady, complained of dizziness and had had several falls.
He said: “My perception was it was in keeping with a history of alcoholism.”
Ms Granell lifted the lid in the surgery’s “chaotic” management at the hearing in Euston Road on Tuesday.
Dr Chandok also confessed his behaviour was unprofessional, inappropriate, misleading and intending to mislead.
Now the GMC must decide if he failed to ensure nurses were adequately supervised at the practice and if he harassed staff to change their statements against him.
Ms Granell described how the disorganised situation at the medical centre following the departure of one of the clinic’s partners, had resulted in bad management and concern for patient care.
She said: “Paperwork wasn’t dealt with properly, both partners were pressured to read letters as (another practice manager) Dr Pickard was only in two days a week. It was mounting high in her tray – letters from hospitals, things to action, results that came down by computer link, they are supposed to be dealt with daily.”
Ms Garnell claimed she was “harassed” by the practice partners to change her statement, adding: “I was ostracised. Dr Pickard was angry with me for what I’d done and said I should have discussed it first. I was upset because as a whistleblower it was a difficult time for me. I’d been in the NHS 32 years and never come across a practice of this nature before.
“He (Dr Chandok) said it was his life, his career, if it went wrong and it was down to me if things went this far. He wasn’t aggressive to me, he was pleading with me for his job.” But Dr Chandok denied harassment, claiming he had asked staff to support him.
He defended the management of the practise, saying he worked longer hours, kept staff rotas and said there was a system for dealing with paperwork.
He said: “All the clinics were covered, patients were being seen, we didn’t have any patient complaints.”
Mrs Bryson’s daughter, Tina Coulson, said her mother, who cared for her own 90-year-old mother, had lived in Camden all her life. She said: “I’m appalled Dr Chandok didn’t go and see her. She lived 10 minutes walk away and he couldn’t be bothered to walk there.” |
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