‘Panicking’ doctor hid result of key test on Scots ebola nurse
A DOCtOR has admitted misleading other medics over the health of a Scots nurse who had contracted the deadly ebola virus.
Dr Hannah Ryan, 29, took Pauline Cafferkey’s temperature – a key indicator of infection – as they waited to go through screening at Heathrow Airport, medical watchdogs heard.
they had been working in Sierra Leone with other UK volunteer medics treating victims of the deadly virus which killed thousands in West Africa in 2014, a Medical Practitioners tribunal was told.
But after flying home ‘keen’ to be back for Christmas, Dr Ryan took Miss Cafferkey’s temperature which was 38.2C (100.7F) – above the 37.5C (99.5F) threshold which is a warning sign for ebola.
Dr Ryan was in a state of ‘disbelief and panic’ at the raised reading and instead of immediately alerting Public Health England (PHE) medics, a temperature of 37.2C (98.9F) was recorded.
She has admitted misleading others and that she ‘acquiesced’ in the wrong temperature being given.
Dr Ryan, who faces being struck off, denies misconduct by her actions at the airport and during a probe by PHE.
the hearing was told the atmosphere at Heathrow’s screening area was ‘chaotic’.
And when Miss Cafferkey’s temperature was found to be higher than the recommended level, Ryan and another nurse reported on a form that it was one degree lower than it was before agreeing, ‘Let’s get out of here,’ it was said.
the truth emerged when Miss Cafferkey was about to board her flight to Glasgow and Ryan confessed to a colleague there had been ‘an issue’ with her screening.
Miss Cafferkey, of Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, was allowed home after passing another test, but went on to develop one of the worst cases of ebola treated in the West. She has since recovered.
the hearing in Manchester heard Dr Ryan, Miss Cafferkey, another nurse Donna Wood and ten other healthcare workers were deployed to Sierra Leone in 2014.
Fraser Coxhill, lawyer for the General Medical Council, said on December 27, the day before they were due to leave Sierra Leone, the party were told to see a doctor to check their temperatures were no higher than 37.5C (99.5F).
the group arrived at Heathrow at about 4pm on December 28 and had to go through screening by PHE.
the screening team ran out of monitoring kits and one of the group suggested they take their own temperatures.
Mr Coxhill said: ‘Dr Ryan got a thermometer and took Pauline Cafferkey’s temperature. Her temperature was at least 38.2C (100.7F) but was recorded as 37.2C (98.9F).
‘Miss Wood, who was holding Miss Cafferkey’s form said something along the lines of “I’m just going to write 37.2C (98.9F) and then we’ll get out of here and sort it”.’
Ryan was later quizzed about the incident by a consultant in health protection and claimed no abnormalities were recorded in Miss Cafferkey’s temperature.
But later that day, Ryan called the consultant in a ‘highly distressed’ state and admitted the screening process was incorrect.
She said she had twice taken Miss Cafferkey’s temperature and it had been 38.2C (100.7F) on each occasion.
Mrs Wood was suspended from practice for two months by the Nursing and Midwifery Council last November.
Miss Cafferkey was cleared of misconduct at a hearing in September.
‘We’ll get out of here and sort it’