Two radiologists who failed to spot cancer in scor

Two radiologists who failed to spot cancer in scores of women at Exeter’s breast screening unit are now awaiting the verdict of the GMC after final submissions finished today (WED).

Dr John Brennan, 47, and Dr Graham Urquhart, 55, were told it was unlikely the committee would reach a decision on the facts of the case until January 9, 2002.

The consultant radiologists have already admitted failures in cancer diagnosis in the cases of 58 women between January 1991 and June 1997.

But they deny a number of other cases which need to be found proved or not proved by the committee.

Brennan is also accused of mismanagement of the unit at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, assaulting his former boss Dr Christopher Bayliss in a hospital car park and of acting in a ‘bulling and offensive’ manner.

After the findings on the facts the committee will then hear submissions, and possibly more witnesses, on whether those facts amount to serious professional misconduct and what action to take against the doctors.

Today the defence teams claimed Brennan and Urquhart had only made ‘honest mistakes’ in their work at Exeter.

Urquhart’s defence barrister Andrew Kennedy also added to the criticism of expert Dr Robin Wilson, who is based at the leading unit in the country, Nottingham.

It is claimed Dr Wilson was too strict in his criteria for judging the failures of Brennan and Urquhart at interpreting x-ray findings.

Mr Kennedy said: ‘The standard Dr Wilson has applied is too high, a standard based too closely on his own practice.

He has taken insufficient account of the prevailing practice elsewhere.

‘You should forget that Nottingham was one of the first to start breast screening and Exeter and Torbay was one of the last.

‘Nottingham has staffing levels and facilities which are not enjoyed by the majority of units in the country.

There were simply not the personnel at Exeter to be able to match Nottingham.

‘

Mr Kennedy claimed Brennan and Urquhart were at one end of the ‘acceptable range’ and Dr Wilson was at the other.

‘There is a range of approach to the use of FNA (fine needle aspiration) and that range is some way from the Nottingham experience.

‘The position nationally was very varied and it was not simply that everybody was doing as Nottingham was and Exeter was not.

‘

Mr Kennedy also pointed out that those reviewing Urquhart’s cases after his suspension made similar ‘errors’.

He added: ‘The only way Dr Wilson had of maintaining his criticism of Dr Urquhart was to make criticism of others.

‘We should also consider this against the backdrop of Dr Urquhart’s approach to his patients.

He interacted well with his patients, he would explain the nature of the examinations he felt it necessary to perform.

‘He would not wish to put patients through the procedure unless it was necessary.

‘

Brennan, of 40a Highweek Village, Newton Abbot, Devon, and Urquhart, of The Farmhouse, 4 Higher Alston Farm, Alston Lane, Churston Ferrers, Brixham, Devon, both deny serious professional misconduct.

The hearing continues.

ends