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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Medic suspended for 'dishonesty' over Ebola temperature | Medic suspended for 'dishonesty' over Ebola temperature |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A doctor who misled other medics about Pauline Cafferkey - a nurse who developed the Ebola virus - has been suspended from practising for a month. | |
| Dr Hannah Ryan took Ms Cafferkey's temperature at Heathrow Airport on returning from West Africa where they had volunteered to help. | |
| But despite a high temperature - a warning sign of the virus - Dr Ryan agreed to a lower value being recorded. | But despite a high temperature - a warning sign of the virus - Dr Ryan agreed to a lower value being recorded. |
| The Medical Practitioners Tribunal said she was guilty of serious misconduct. | The Medical Practitioners Tribunal said she was guilty of serious misconduct. |
| Dr Ryan said she was in a state of "disbelief, fear and panic" at the time. | Dr Ryan said she was in a state of "disbelief, fear and panic" at the time. |
| Ms Cafferkey was then allowed to travel home to Scotland, carrying the virus and putting others at "unwarranted risk" the tribunal heard. | Ms Cafferkey was then allowed to travel home to Scotland, carrying the virus and putting others at "unwarranted risk" the tribunal heard. |
| 'Message to profession' | 'Message to profession' |
| The Scottish nurse fell ill the next day and survived a long period of illness with Ebola and its complications. | The Scottish nurse fell ill the next day and survived a long period of illness with Ebola and its complications. |
| Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey had been working in Sierra Leone with other volunteers to help treat Ebola victims in 2014. | Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey had been working in Sierra Leone with other volunteers to help treat Ebola victims in 2014. |
| The outbreak of the highly contagious virus led to thousands of deaths in the region. | The outbreak of the highly contagious virus led to thousands of deaths in the region. |
| Returning on 28 December, Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey had landed at Heathrow, "keen" to be home for the Christmas holiday period, the tribunal heard. | Returning on 28 December, Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey had landed at Heathrow, "keen" to be home for the Christmas holiday period, the tribunal heard. |
| They queued to get clearance from Public Health England medics to be allowed to leave. | They queued to get clearance from Public Health England medics to be allowed to leave. |
| Trying to help PHE staff with the process, Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey agreed to take and record their own temperatures. | Trying to help PHE staff with the process, Dr Ryan and Ms Cafferkey agreed to take and record their own temperatures. |
| Dr Ryan had then taken Ms Cafferkey's temperature and got a reading of 38.2C - higher than normal. | Dr Ryan had then taken Ms Cafferkey's temperature and got a reading of 38.2C - higher than normal. |
| But a lower temperature, 37.2C, was actually recorded and Ms Cafferkey was then allowed to catch her connecting flight to Glasgow to go home. | |
| And later when a consultant rang to investigate what had happened at the airport, Dr Ryan gave a "dishonest" response about her involvement, the tribunal was told. | And later when a consultant rang to investigate what had happened at the airport, Dr Ryan gave a "dishonest" response about her involvement, the tribunal was told. |
| The tribunal ruled that while there were "extenuating circumstances" for her actions at Heathrow, her behaviour five days later when she took the call, was "deeply deplorable". | The tribunal ruled that while there were "extenuating circumstances" for her actions at Heathrow, her behaviour five days later when she took the call, was "deeply deplorable". |
| Dr Ryan told the hearing: "Pauline Cafferkey was my friend and someone I cared about and was really worried she might die." | Dr Ryan told the hearing: "Pauline Cafferkey was my friend and someone I cared about and was really worried she might die." |
| Dr Bernard Herdan, chairman of the tribunal, said: "Since the tribunal is satisfied the risk of repetition of your misconduct is low, and there is no risk to patient safety, it has concluded that a one-month suspension will be sufficient to mark the seriousness of your misconduct and to send a message to the profession that dishonesty by a doctor cannot be tolerated under any circumstances." | |
| In September 2016, the Nursing and Midwifery Council cleared Ms Cafferkey of misconduct over claims she had hidden her infection, after a panel ruled that her judgement had been impaired by her illness. | In September 2016, the Nursing and Midwifery Council cleared Ms Cafferkey of misconduct over claims she had hidden her infection, after a panel ruled that her judgement had been impaired by her illness. |
| In November, another colleague, senior nurse Donna Wood, was suspended by the NMC for two months. The panel found Ms Wood suggested a lower temperature be recorded on Ms Cafferkey's screening form so they could pass through checks at passport control more quickly. | In November, another colleague, senior nurse Donna Wood, was suspended by the NMC for two months. The panel found Ms Wood suggested a lower temperature be recorded on Ms Cafferkey's screening form so they could pass through checks at passport control more quickly. |