A RUNCORN doctor has been suspended following the death of a patient.

Castlefields GP Shashangka Otiv failed to heed electronic alerts on the medical record of a Runcorn woman and prescribed drugs on three separate occasions that she had suffered a bad reaction to.

Warnings would have flashed up on his computer screen each time but he said he didn’t recall seeing them.

Mum-of-two Carol Gibson, aged 65, of Palacefields, died in August 2012 as a result of an adverse reaction to nitrofurantoin whilst being treated for a urinary tract infection.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service suspended Dr Otiv for 12 months on February 25.

He faces a review hearing before the end of his suspension.

The panel said his misconduct related ‘to one patient in a career spanning over 30 years at the same practice’.

A fitness to practise hearing was told that Dr Otiv had edited Mrs Gibson’s medical record, deleting the prescription in a report to the coroner.

Panel chairman Dr Brian Alderman said: “Given that you are a GP with over 30 years’ experience, it was not credible that you should fail to appreciate the significance of a prescription that you had issued only seven days prior to her death.”

Mrs Gibson’s daughter, Helen Dundon, of Grangemoor, declined to comment.

Her husband, Mike said: “She has had enough pain and just wants to put the past behind her.”

Ayse Ince, a specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, who represented Mrs Gibson’s family, said: “The fact that Dr Otiv edited Mrs Gibson’s medical records following her death has been termed as dishonest.

“Dr Otiv failed to heed the vital warning signs on her records and continued to prescribe the antibiotic nitrofurotonin, which ultimately killed her.

“We hope this outcome will ensure tragedies like this do not happen again.”

Lawyers confirmed they had secured £70,000 compensation for the family.

Dr Otiv said: “I have made an unreserved apology to Mrs Gibson’s family and deeply regret the events surrounding her death.

“I understand this has must have been an extremely difficult time for her family and would like to extend my further condolences to them.

“I and the practice take our responsibilities very seriously and immediately following the incident we undertook a number of thorough reviews, with the assistance of NHS England, of our systems to avoid this happening again.

“We have examined our system of alerts relating to allergies and adverse reactions and implemented a number of measures to ensure that allergies are flagged up much more effectively.”

A spokesperson for NHS Halton Clinical Commission Group said: “We would like to extend our condolences to the family of Mrs Gibson. Clearly this must have been a very upsetting and difficult time for them.

“The CCG actively works with member practices, practice staff and GPs to ensure safe prescribing processes are in place, with a rolling programme of development, audit and review to ensure this.

“In terms of the incident which resulted in the sad death of Mrs Gibson, the CCG has been provided with assurance that the practice has implemented a number of measures with regards to the system for alerts relating to allergies and adverse reactions in order to avoid this happening again.”