NHS boss allowed medic dubbed The Butcher to deliver SamCam’s baby
A BUNGLING consultant known as The Butcher was allowed to deliver David Cameron’s youngest child despite claims to his boss he was a danger to patients, it was said yesterday.
Rob Jones had been the subject of several complaints but Dr Paul Upton did not investi- gate properly and instead let him carry on working, a disciplinary panel was told.
In August 2010, just eight months after a premature baby he delivered died due to pre-eclampsia, he treated Samantha Cameron when she went into labour three weeks early while on holiday with the Prime Minister in Cornwall. Mrs Cameron had an emergency caesarean at NHS Treliske Hospital which resulted in the birth of Florence, at 6lb 1oz.
Mr Jones was still at the Truro hospital when the family returned to thank staff the next year.
Mr Cameron told his daughter Mr Jones was ‘the man who pulled you out of Mummy’s tummy’. Dr Upton, 55, who was medical director of Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust at the time of Florence’s birth, faces a string of misconduct allegations that accuse him of failing to protect patients from ‘risk of harm’ posed by Mr Jones in 2010 and 2011.
It is claimed he failed to commission a report about complaints and did not obtain a report on the legal actions being taken against the obstetrician and gynaecologist. He is also accused of failing to arrange meetings with colleagues who raised the concerns and of failing to restrict Mr Jones from clinical practice.
Other charges include making misleading statements to reporters in which he claimed he did not have enough evidence against Mr Jones.
Mr Jones, who had worked at the hospital since 1997, was suspended in May 2012 and retired the following October after it emerged that he
‘Patients were at risk of harm’
continued to practise despite eight reviews into his work over 12 years.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists found his patients had more than five times the total of surgical complications in hysterectomies than would ‘usually be expected’ in a consultant’s career. More than 200 women he treated have joined a group taking action against the trust. Lawyers say up to 1,000 may be entitled to damages.
Nurses said Mr Jones was called The Butcher due to fears on his competency. The trust has already ‘apologised unreservedly’ to patients.
Craig Sephton QC, for the General Medical Council at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, said the concerns were raised by Karen Watkins, a lead manager in maternity risk management, and Jan Walters, divisional manager of women’s services.
These centred on an expectant mother discharged by Mr Jones on January 15 2010. She was re-admitted three days later and he delivered her baby, who subsequently died.
Mr Sephton said: ‘Miss Watkins and Miss Walters were so concerned about this incident and previous problems that they raised these issues. The recent incident and other concerns were explained and it was asked whether Mr Jones should be practising obstetrics at all.’
Nicki Gilbertson, trust director for women’s services, held a meeting with Dr Upton and said staff wished to express concerns about Mr Jones over why the mother was discharged despite signs of pre-eclampsia.
Dr Upton then met Mr Jones and a provisional report concluded he had made ‘an error of judgment’ but could carry on working. Mr Sephton said however there were fears for ‘patient safety. We say that Dr Upton can’t take a view on those concerns until he looked at them properly.’
Dr Upton quit the trust’s board in 2013 but still works there as an anaesthetist. Mr Jones cannot be disciplined by the GMC as he is no longer registered. He retired in 2012 and has said he is sorry for any patient who suffered complications and that he would help any inquiry.
The hearing continues.