Doctor's ‘serious error of judgement’ in care of patient with flesh-eating disease

A HOSPITAL doctor has been suspended over failings in the care of a patient who died from a rare “flesh-eating” disease.

- BY JOEL MOORE

Dr Tijjani Shehu, a locum consultant physician working at King's Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, was found to have not provided appropriate care and treatment for the woman.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing was told his actions caused a delay in the correct diagnosis and treatment of the patient - referred to as Patient A-who died a day after attending A&E.

Following an eight-day tribunal, which concluded on December 10, a panel suspended Dr Shehu from practising for six months.

The doctor offered his “sincere apologies” to the family of the patient and admitted to a “serious error of judgement” at the time.

On December 28, 2022, Patient Awoke up with a sudden onset of pain in her right calf, which was swollen, and was shivering, had a fever and was vomiting. She attended Newark Urgent Treatment Centre, where tests resulted ina working nosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - where a blood clot forms in a deep vein - and rhabdomyolysis.