Fatal overdose GP is struck off

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A doctor who injected two patients with six times the proper dose of a painkiller, killing one of them, has been struck off the medical register.

Dr Michael Stevenson, 57, of Cumbria, was spared jail in 2007 after admitting the manslaughter of a grandmother, 58.

He also administered an identical dose to a 59-year-old builder, who survived.

He was struck off after a General Medical Council panel ruled his conduct in both incidents "demonstrated a disregard for patient safety".

'Vital antidote'

Dr Stevenson, of Bootle, near Millom, was given a suspended jail term after admitting the manslaughter of Marjorie Wright at her Workington home in January 2005.

He accidentally gave her a 30mg dose of diamorphine instead of 5mg. She was found dead when police broke into her home shortly afterwards.

On his next visit for the CueDoc out-hours GP service, he administered an identical overdose to the builder, known as Mr E, who suffered an immediate respiratory arrest.

The patient survived after paramedics were called and gave him a vital antidote.

The GP, who was working in Seascale at the time, denied his fitness to practise was impaired and said he regretted the errors.

'Excessive workload'

But the panel, sitting in Manchester, said it was "disturbed" by evidence that Dr Stevenson continued to undertake a heavy workload at the time when he was suffering from depression.

Panel chairman Professor Ken Hobbs said: "He has failed to demonstrate any insight into his attitude in this respect, nor did he acknowledge the risk which such an excessive workload posed to patient safety.

"Dr Stevenson's actions in relation to Mrs Wright and Mr E (the builder), to both of whom he recklessly administered potentially lethal doses of diamorphine, demonstrated a disregard for patient safety."

The panel ruled that allegations he had given two terminally ill men potentially fatal levels of drugs were not proved.