GMC dismisses child doctor case

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The latest case against paediatrician Dr David Southall has been dismissed by a General Medical Council hearing.

He and two other doctors were accused of not gaining the correct consent during a medical trail of a new type of ventilator for premature babies.

Dr Southall, Dr Andrew Spencer and Dr Martin Samuels, of North Staffordshire Hospital, all denied the charges.

Dr Southall has already been struck off the medical register over another case, although he is appealing that ruling.

The latest case related to trials in the early 1990s which involved placing premature babies into low pressure incubators so they could breathe unaided.

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It follows a campaign by Stoke-on-Trent couple Carl and Deborah Henshall.

In December 2005, the Court of Appeal ruled the GMC should review its decision to initially reject their complaints against the paediatricians.

Their baby daughters, Stacey and Sofie, were placed into special tanks at North Staffordshire Hospital in February and December 1992.

Stacey died after two days, while Sofie survived but was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

The couple claim they did not give properly informed consent for their girls to be placed in the tanks.

Dr Southall is currently appealing against a separate GMC decision to find him guilty of serious professional misconduct after deciding he had abused his position by accusing a mother of drugging and murdering her son.

He is still allowed to carry on working as a doctor while his appeal continues, although he remains banned from child protection work over a completely separate issue.