Doctor ‘faked illness to avoid Baby P hearing’
A doctor who allegedly failed to spot Baby P had a broken spine before he died was accused today of pretending to be seriously ill to avoid a disciplinary panel.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Sabah Al-Zayyat was summoned to appear at the General Medical Council over her care of the 17-month-old toddler, who died after suffering horrific abuse.
This month she applied for voluntary erasure from the medical register, which would have avoided the need for a full misconduct hearing. But a GMC fitness to practise panel rejected the request today, ruling the "serious" allegations should be heard in public.
The doctor, believed to be in her native Pakistan, had earlier claimed she was driven "suicidal" by public scrutiny.
Panel chairman Ralph Bergmann said: "The panel is not persuaded that any incapacity on the part of Dr Al-Zayyat cannot be overcome by appropriate measures. This panel is firmly of the opinion that her absence from this hearing is voluntary and deliberate."
Dr Al-Zayyat, 54, examined Peter Connelly at a clinic at St Ann's Hospital in Tottenham on 1 August 2007. She allegedly missed his injuries after deciding she could not do a full check-up because he was "miserable and cranky".
Two days later, Peter died at the hands of his mother Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen. They were jailed last year. A post-mortem found he had probably suffered serious injuries, including a broken back and fractured ribs, before he was examined by the doctor.
Mary O'Rourke QC, for Dr Al-Zayyat, told the panel she would go to the High Court to seek a judicial review of its decision not to allow voluntary erasure.
