Doctor must take English tests before work return
DISCIPLINED FOR WRONGLY INJECTING BOY WITH POTENTIALLY LETHAL AMOUNT OF DRUG
A CHILDREN’S doctor who left a boy fighting for life following a bungled hospital operation has been told he must pass a series of English language tests before he can resume clinical duties – after he failed them while continuing to practise.
Dr Gyorgy Rakoczy was temporarily suspended from medical practise after he wrongly injected the four-year-old with a potentially lethal amount of carbolic acid when he misread a label.
Despite the incident, Dr Rakoczy, 64, who worked at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, returned to work, where he later failed English tests in listening, reading, writing and speaking in 2017 and 2018.
He subsequently stopped taking English lessons and was reported to the General Medical Council (GMC) over concerns about his performance.
At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, the doctor from Budapest, who has practised in the UK since 2007, was found guilty of ‘impaired’ medical practise, but was placed under conditional registration for a year and told to successfully complete an English language assessment course.
The paediatrician had originally been disciplined after a botched operation at the hospital in May 2009, in which the unnamed boy was injected with 80 per cent phenol.
At the time Dr Rakoczy, who was said to have a ‘limited command’ of the English language, was meant to use a five per cent concentration of the substance, but misread the label.
The boy, who had been admitted for examination under general anaesthetic after his parents suspected he had a haemorrhoid, was left with ‘catastrophic’ internal injuries.
He required more than 30 corrective operations, including the removal of a section of his bowel.
Dr Rakoczy was allowed to carry on working following the operation but was suspended for three months in 2012 for serious misconduct after a General Medical Council investigation.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester was told Dr Rakoczy later had to work at the hospital under supervision with another consultant directly watching over him in theatre and having to dictate letters relating to treatments.
He underwent an assessment of his performance in 2016 and the following year, took a test under the International English Language Testing System, but only scored an overall mark of 6.0 when he needed 7.5 to pass.
The hearing was told a team of assessors said there were ‘issues with his command of English,’ with one saying she ‘struggled to understand Dr Rakoczy at times.’
But hospital colleagues said whilst the surgeon’s English was ‘not perfect’ it had ‘improved considerably’ and he was able to discuss matters and participate in team meetings.
Lawyer Kevin Slack, for the General Medical Council, said: “Mr Rakoczy failed to achieve the required score and stopped taking lessons in English. A doctor who has practised in the UK for some 12 years would be expected to achieve the acceptable level.
Dr Rakoczy lawyer Andrew Hockton said the 2009 operation was ‘not relevant’ to the latest hearing and said the suspension upon his client had been imposed as a ‘message to the medical profession.’
He said Dr Rakoczy, who is not currently working, posed no risk to patient safety and added: “Mr Rakoczy’s colleagues raised no significant concerns about his ability to communicate. His English language skills were not a barrier to communication.’’
The condition read: “You must show evidence that you have completed an English language assessment acceptable to the GMC and achieved the requisite scores, as defined in the glossary for conditions, before resuming clinical duties, either paid or voluntary.”