A doctor who prescribed massive amounts of drugs t
A doctor who prescribed massive amounts of drugs to a patient just days before she died today (Tues) told how he was desperately trying to help her.
Psychiatist Tom Onen, 52, said the woman had a long history of drug abuse and was repeatedly turned down by other agencies.
Although the doctor admitted giving her huge amounts of drugs over four years he said he did not want to abandon her.
The GMC has heard how the woman, referred to as SW, died in January last year from a chest infection and drug taking just three days after collecting a prescription from the Sunny Medical Centre in Deptford, southeast London.
She was one of 31 patients who were allegedly given inappropriate or irresponsible amounts of drugs such as Methadone, Dexydrine and Rohypnol by Onen or his partner Walter Onyango.
But Dr Onen today claimed he was helping SW when no one else would.
He told the committee: ‘She was over 50 years old with a long history of drug use since the age of 14.
‘She had been given several treatment services for her drug addiction and had tried to come off drugs several times over the years with no success.
‘She had had lot of difficulties both socially and physically due to drugs misuse.
‘When she came to me she was on multiple drug combinations and huge doses of medication.
‘I took her on but immediately realised she had big problems.
‘I constantly made attempts to get her into a Drug Dependency Unit for treatment but she was turned down by one because she lived outside their catchment.
‘Another one didn’t want to know.
It was a difficult lady I was dealing with and I think her instability got given more prominence the more I tried to take her off the medication.
‘
Dr Onen said every time he reduced the dose the woman became ‘chaotic’ and said she had deep psychological problems which came to the fore when she tried to kick the habit.
He told the committee: ‘I realised that it was my duty as a doctor to try to help her rather than just shut the door.
‘I thought it was a more humane approach.
Knowing and seeing this girl in her condition I felt that to discharge her I would have been abandoning my duty.
‘We have a duty to all patients and she is a human being too.
‘
Asked by his defence counsel Malcolm Fortune why he prescribed drugs on the same day as admitted the woman to hospital Dr Onen said he intended her to collect them when she was discharged.
He said: ‘My words to her were that she should get this prescription off a chemist when she eventually left hospital.
‘I wanted to avoid a situation where a doctor phone from the hospital to say they were discharging her and she had no drugs.
‘Can you imagine her being discharged on a Tuesday – I only work on Thursdays so she would be without medication.
‘If it is irresponsible for thinking ahead for a patient’s benefit, so be it.
‘
The centre dealt with patients from across Britain – including Hayling Island and Cowplain in Hants, and Shepton Mallet, Somerset – making it even harder for the doctors to monitor them.
Dr Onen, of Orchards Way, Beckenham, Kent, has held a consultant post at Crawley Hospital, Sussex, since 1993.
Dr Onyango, of Hollybush Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, a psychiatrist with West Lambeth Community Care NHS Trust for eight years.
Both men deny serious professional misconduct involving 35 patients.
The hearing continues.
ends
