Panel blasts ‘catalogue of errors’

The family doctor who failed to examine Troy properly was responsible for a “catalogue of errors”, an inquiry into her professional conduct has concluded. Dr Penny Lupton was found deficient in multiple areas of her examination of the teenager.

The Medical Practioners Tribunal Service conducted the hearing following an investigation into the GP’S conduct by the General Medical Council.

But the tribunal recognised Dr Lupton had “worked hard to address the failings” over the last 15 months, and had an otherwise unblemished 20-year career. During the hearing earlier this month there was some dispute over what Dr Lupton had been told about Troy’s symptoms. But her wholly inadequate examination, poor note-taking and not referring him to hospital were deemed to be serious failures by the tribunal. Panel chairman Debbie Hill concluded: “Although the tribunal accepts it was one consultation with one patient in an otherwise unblemished career, within that short consultation there was a catalogue of errors which led to multiple failings, namely a failure to enquire about thirst and excessive drinking, a failure to examine the abdomen or elicit vital signs and a failure to formulate an adequate management plan including an immediate referral to hospital.

“The tribunal considered collectively these failings were sufficiently grave as to constitute serious misconduct.” But Mrs Hill added: “The insight shown, remediation and reflection undertaken, and the measures outlined by Dr Lupton, meant that the tribunal was satisfied that she had shown considerable insight and remediated her misconduct to a significant extent. In these circumstances the tribunal concluded that the likelihood of repetition is very low.”

Dr Lupton did not respond to our request to comment.