GP who ignored fatal cancer signs keeps job

A doctor who ignored a cancer patient's "persistent" symptoms was allowed to keep his job today.

Nicola Sams, 26, died in August 2007 after six years of irregular bleeding and abdominal pains were dismissed by Dr Navin Shankar as "nothing to worry about".

The cervical cancer was only discovered when Miss Sams registered with another GP and she had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy in May 2006.

When Miss Sams fractured her neck some months later, it emerged that the cancer had spread to her spine, neck and arms, the General Medical Council was told. Dr Shankar, 60, from Luton, was found guilty of failing to perform an abdominal or intimate examination on Miss Sams. He was then declared unfit to practise after failing a series of basic tests.

The GMC today placed 18 conditions on his registration. He will be "closely supervised", can only work in NHS training practices and will have another performance test in 12 months.

Miss Sams's father Mike said the GMC's decision was "a joke".