Abortion blunder doc loses appeal

Aug 31 2007 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

BIRMINGHAM abortion botch doctor Andrew Gbinigie has failed to get his full medical licence back.

Protesters today expressed relief that the 51-year-old consultant gynaecologist, who was found guilty of serious professional misconduct, had been unsuccessful in his battle to practise as a normal consultant again.

Dr Gbinigie, of Tanglewood, Barnt Green, avoided being struck off in March 2003 and was allowed to operate under supervision and when an intensive care unit was nearby.

But a General Medical Council (GMC) panel yesterday said he could still not work alone in theatre for the next 12 months and must be under supervision, therefore not clearing his medical licence.

They heard how the doctor's efforts to secure a job as a gynaecologist since 2003 had not been successful because every time it was "blocked by trust management at the highest level".

The panel decided Dr Gbinigie could not comply with GMC conditions to update his skills and needed to be retrained before he could carry out surgery unassisted.

The father-of-three was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the GMC in 2003 after he removed an ovary and part of a 21-year-old woman's bowel during a termination operation on his first day at Edgbaston's Calthorpe Clinic.

And mother-of-five Nicki Evans-Young, from Kingswinford, was awarded a five-figure settlement by Dudley Group of Hospitals after Dr Gbinigie failed to sterilise her and she became pregnant.

Mrs Evans-Young said: "I am relieved with anything that stops Dr Gbinigie practising the way he was on women.

"I don't think he should be allowed to operate at all, even under supervision. He is a dangerous man."