A medical tribunal decided that despite a catalogue of errors, Dr Baljinder Ubhi was not a risk to patients following the tragic death of Gracie Foster
A doctor who mistook deadly blood poisoning for tonsillitis, leading to a four-year-old girl’s death, has been found guilty of serious misconduct but escaped being struck off.
A medical tribunal decided that despite a catalogue of errors, Dr Baljinder Ubhi was not a risk to patients following the tragic death of Gracie Foster, who died of sepsis just hours after he sent her home from hospital.
The youngster from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, had been due to have her tonsils removed before surgery was cancelled after she fell sick on the hospital ward.
The hearing was told consultant paediatrician Dr Ubhi admitted he was ‘cutting corners’ and failed to carry out a series of basic examinations on Gracie or prescribe antibiotics and decided she simply had a viral infection.
An inquest in September 2018, found there were ‘gross failures’ by healthcare professionals which contributed to her death in October 2015.
At the time her mother, Michelle Foster, said: ‘Nothing will bring Gracie back – her early, tragic and avoidable death is something from which her family will never recover.
‘Gracie walked into hospital on the day of her death a happy, chatty and joyous little girl.
Gracie Foster, had been due to have her tonsils removed before surgery was cancelled after she fell sick on the hospital ward. Dr Ubhi admitted he ‘cut corners’ and failed to carry out basic examinations on Gracie or prescribe antibiotics
‘Gracie’s family never imagined that the very same day they would see their little girl covered in tubes, being resuscitated – witnessing Gracie’s death in such traumatic circumstances is something they have to relive daily.’
At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing, Dr Ubhi accepted that he failed to adequately review Gracie’s medical records or obtain a history from her mother when he took charge of her case at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
The tribunal ruling today stated: ‘Dr Ubhi failed to assess [Gracei’s] behaviour, heart rate, breathing rate, capillary refill time, skin colour or extremities’ skin temperature.
‘Dr Ubhi failed to arrange for the following investigations to be undertaken for Patient A (Gracie): a full blood count blood culture C-Reactive Protein (CRP) level urine analysis and culture.
Dr Ubhi accepted that he failed to adequately review Gracie’s medical records or obtain a history from her mother when he took charge of her case at Chesterfield Royal Hospital
‘Dr Ubhi failed to request that a period of observation be undertaken in respect of Patient A, pending the results of those investigations. Dr Ubhi did not record his consultation with Patient A in the medical notes.
‘After examination solely of the tonsils Dr Ubhi diagnosed Patient A with viral tonsillitis and advised that antibiotics were not required.’
After her condition deteriorated, her worried family rushed Gracie to Sheffield Children’s Hospital but she could not be saved and died due to meningococcal septicaemia.
When questioned at the hearing, Dr Ubhi also accepted he had been ‘cutting corners’ on the day in question, saying he was very busy.
After her condition deteriorated, her worried family rushed Gracie to Sheffield Children’s Hospital but she could not be saved and died due to meningococcal septicaemia
However, the tribunal heard he had since learnt from his mistakes and described Gracie’s inquest as a ‘turning point’ in recognising his own failings.
The ruling states: ‘The Tribunal noted that the failures in the care that he provided Patient A occurred almost 5 years ago.
‘During the intervening period there have been no further complaints with regards to his clinical practice. Dr Ubhi described the Inquest as a “turning point” for him in terms of how he viewed the impact of this incident.
‘The Tribunal noted that there was a public apology at the Inquest and at this hearing. The Tribunal were in no doubt as to the sincerity of these apologies and the efforts he has made to develop insight and to remediate his misconduct over the last eighteen months.
However, the tribunal heard Dr Ubhi had since learnt from his mistakes and described Gracie’s inquest as a ‘turning point’ in recognising his own failings
‘In all the circumstances, the Tribunal concluded that Dr Ubhi does not present a risk to members of the public.
‘The Tribunal has previously found proved that Dr Ubhi’s actions in relation to Patient A amounted to serious misconduct.
‘The Tribunal accepts that now Dr Ubhi has undergone extensive reflection and remediation. This led to the Tribunal’s decision that Dr Ubhi’s fitness to practise was not currently impaired.’
Instead of being struck off, Dr Ubhi was given a formal warning.