Doctor hit confused cancer patient as he came round from op
An anaesthetist who slapped a man with cancer as he woke after surgery admitted hitting patients ‘most weeks’ to wake them up.
dr Ian Selby struck the patient on the right shoulder with his open hand as the man swung his arms around in a state of confusion.
The consultant anaesthetist told shocked nurses: ‘He needs telling. You tell him.’
But the 55- year- old was reported to police, and later told officers he would use similar violence ‘on quite a regular basis when trying to wake patients up’.
After being convicted of assault in court, Selby has now appeared before a medical tribunal accused of a fundamental breach of the doctorpatient relationship.
A disciplinary panel rejected his claim that it was an isolated incident brought on by stress, and suspended him for nine months. Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust revealed last night that Selby had been sacked.
Selby lashed out on July 17, 2015, after surgery to remove a cancerous prostate on the unnamed patient at the Royal Preston Hospital.
The medical Practitioners Tri- bunal Service hearing in manchester was told the man – known only as Patient A – became agitated and began swinging his arms around.
nurse Sandra Riley said in a statement: ‘dr Selby struck the patient on the right shoulder with his open right hand.
‘dr Selby said, “He needs telling. You tell him”. But I said, “not like that. It’s not the patient’s fault”.
‘In over 20 years of nursing I have not seen this.’ Colleagues reported him to bosses who called the police.
In a statement he said: ‘I did strike him but there was a justified reason. I do that on a regular basis when trying to wake patients up – most weeks.’
He admitted common assault at Preston magistrates’ Court, and was fined £1,000 and told to pay £500 compensation. Selby, from Blackburn, was then reported to the General medical Council. He admitted misconduct but claimed he ‘snapped’ under stress.
Kevin Slack, counsel for the GMC, said it was ‘ violence in the workplace in the course of a doctor’s professional practice’, adding: ‘ dr Selby acted completely contrary to the doctorpatient relationship.’
Selby’s lawyer, Andrew Hurst, said: ‘ The patient was a large man and in his distress and agitation might have disturbed his catheter.’
Referring to Selby, he said: ‘This is not road rage. His character, esteem, experience are highly regarded.’
But panel chairman Joy Hamilton said it could not be satisfied that he would not lash out again in similar circumstances.
She added: ‘The tribunal has taken into account your explanation of the significant stresses in your personal life, however doctors often have to cope with stresses in their work and private lives. This could not justify assaulting a patient.’
‘I do that on a regular basis’