Panel hearing summary 2012 0165

Decision of the Medical Board of Australia

Performance and Professional Standards panel

Jurisdiction: South Australia
Date of Hearing: 3 May 2012
Date of Decision: 16 May 2012

Classification of Notification:

Inappropriate delay in care

Missed, incorrect or delayed diagnosis

Other clinical care issue

Allegations/Issues

1. The panel considered the practitioner’s clinical management of the patient after the practitioner had been made aware that the patient’s post-operative condition had deteriorated. 
2. In particular the panel considered:
   1. whether on being advised of the deterioration in the patient’s post-operative condition, the practitioner should have arranged for the patient to be sent to a tertiary hospital or to be transferred to such a hospital after her re-admission to and assessment at the hospital 
   2. whether the practitioner failed to recognise the clinical signs of sepsis and the severity of the patient’s condition 
   3. whether the second surgery was unnecessarily delayed. In particular whether the practitioner underestimated the need for the patient to undergo surgery during the course of the night and formed an erroneous judgment that the patient’s surgery could be delayed until the morning 
   4. whether the practitioner failed to appreciate fully and adequately take into account the risks that might be posed to the patient as a result of delaying the surgery.

Finding

Unsatisfactory professional performance.

Determination

The panel reprimanded the practitioner.