An experienced Dundee doctor is set to face a misconduct hearing over allegations he failed to perform an emergency caesarean section on a patient.
Dr Keith Suttie – who has been working in the profession for more than 30 years – will go before a panel later this month over the allegations dating from November 2017.
The claims centre on the delivery of a baby who was suffering from a health condition.
The Medical Tribunal Practitioner Service (MPTS) alleges that “on November 10 2017, Dr Suttie consulted with Patient A and failed to manage an urgent delivery (of a baby), having been advised of the onset of fetal bradycardia and despite arrangements being in place for an emergency caesarean section”.
Fetal bradycardia is a type of irregular heartbeat in a developing fetus and happens when the heart rate is slower than 110 beats per minute.
Dundee doctor ‘failed to scrub up and perform C-section’
The MPTS says it is “further alleged that Dr Suttie failed to scrub up and perform a caesarean section as the senior obstetrician present”.
If allegations in a tribunal are found proven, a range of options are open to the MPTS.
This can range from no action to a suspension or the doctor being removed from the medical register.
If fitness to practise is not found to be impaired, the panel may issue a warning instead.
Dr Suttie, who works for NHS Tayside in Dundee, qualified from Dundee University in 1991.
He has been a fully registered doctor since August 1992.
The misconduct hearing is set to start on January 22 and could run until February 9.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We do not comment on matters relating to individual members of staff.”
Dr Suttie has been approached for comment.
