GP failed to spot mother’s potentially fatal condition

A new mother suffering from a potentially fatal inflammation of her uterus was misdiagnosed by a local GP, resulting in her being rushed to hospital the following day, an inquiry heard yesterday.

Dr Saleem Sharif, 57, from Ballyphehane, Cork, failed to carry out an appropriate examination of Alison Hunter Hickey, or arrange for relevant investigations when Ms Hickey visited him at the GP Now Clinic in Sandyford, Dublin on October 2014, where he was working as a locum GP.

Ms Hickey, 47, gave birth to twin boys in October 2014 by caesarean section, a disciplinary hearing at the Medical Council in Dublin heard yesterday. Less than three weeks later, on October 28, 2014, Ms Hunter became unwell, experiencing flu-like symptoms, shivering, a high temperature, abdominal pain and odorous discharge.