GP found guilty of professional misconduct

A DOCTOR who failed to record the removal of a mole in a cancer fatality case has been found guilty of professional misconduct.

William Cashell, 37, from Rush, Co Dublin, died in May 2008, 15 months after the mole was removed.

His doctor, Dublin GP Dr Peter Peng-Cheng Ting, was found guilty of six out of eight allegations of professional misconduct in relation Mr Cashell’s care by a Medical Council fitness to practise committee.

The three-member committee will recommend what sanctions should apply to Dr Ting at a full meeting of the Medical Council.

The 51-year-old doctor, who has a practise in Artane, denied professional misconduct, but did accept that he did not arrange for a biopsy of the mole and that he failed to keep adequate patient records.

He told the inquiry yesterday he “regretted greatly” that he did not keep a record of the removal of the mole in February 2007.

Dr Ting said he believed he had acted in Mr Cashell’s best interests and that he would have referred Mr Cashell to a dermatologist if he had thought the mole was “sinister”.

However, the inquiry found that Dr Ting failed to take any or adequate steps following the removal of the mole and failed to send a biopsy of the mole for analysis.

It said both failures amounted to professional misconduct because the doctor did not adequately manage a potentially very serious condition.

The inquiry found that Dr Ting had not taken any or adequate history of the patient, had not acted in his best interest and had not applied appropriate treatment standards.

Two allegations, that the doctor did not arrange any or adequate investigations or have a suitably qualified specialist review Mr Cashell’s case, were not proven.

The inquiry also found that Dr Ting had failed to reply to letters from the council in relation to the case.

The doctor said he did not reply to the letters because he was in denial, as it was the first time in his career that he had been asked to respond to such a serious allegation.

He said he referred Mr Cashell for an urgent out-patient appointment at Beaumont Hospital in May 2007 to have a lump that had developed under his left arm investigated. An appointment was set for August 2007.

Dr Ting said he had referred Mr Cashell to the emergency department of Beaumont Hospital in July 2007 because the lump under his arm had doubled in size and he was in pain.

Mr Cashell was discharged from the hospital after undergoing a series of blood tests and saw the doctor again in July 2007, complaining of a lump in his left groin. It was the last time Dr Ting saw Mr Cashell.

At the August consultation, Beaumont indicated it would proceed with urgent procedures and review the results with Dr Ting.

Mr Cashell attended an out-of-hours GP service in September and was referred to Beaumont, which admitted him. A biopsy carried out a few days later revealed terminal cancer.

The deceased man’s father, Michael Cashell, said the family were glad they had an opportunity to highlight the case. “After a difficult three years, we now have closure,” he said.