Jack Adcock: Doctor guilty of gross negligence in death of boy, six, should be struck off, High Court rules

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A doctor found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter over the death of a six-year-old boy should be struck off, High Court judges have ruled.

The General Medical Council (GMC) appealed against a decision of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal to impose a sanction of 12 months' suspension on Hadiza Bawa-Garba.

The GMC asked two judges to quash that decision - and give a direction of erasure from the medical register - arguing it was “not sufficient” to protect the public or maintain public confidence in the medical profession.

Announcing their decision in London on Thursday, Lord Justice Gross and Mr Justice Ouseley ruled in the GMC's favour.

Jack Adcock, from Glen Parva, Leicestershire, who had Down's Syndrome and a known heart condition, died at Leicester Royal Infirmary in 2011 after he developed sepsis.

After a 2015 trial at Nottingham Crown Court, Dr Bawa-Garba was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years.

During the trial, the prosecution said Jack died after a series of failings by medical staff, including Dr Bawa-Garba's “failure to discharge her duty” as the responsible doctor.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Nicol said that neither Dr Bawa-Garba or a nurse who was on duty at the time “gave Jack the priority which this very sick boy deserved”.

PA