An experienced Dundee doctor has avoided sanctions despite causing “harm” to a new mum and her baby.
Dr Keith Suttie – who has had an “unblemished” 30-year career – admitted a string of misconduct allegations at a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing.
The allegations centred on the care he gave to an NHS Tayside patient and her new baby in November 2017.
This included a failure to manage an “urgent” delivery of the tot after the onset of fetal bradycardia – a type of irregular heartbeat.
Dundee doctor failed to ensure C-section was performed with the ‘urgency required’
He also admitted failing to take the lead in the mum’s care by not scrubbing up and performing the C-section himself as the senior obstetrician present, and not ensuring the C-section was performed with the “urgency required”.
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Suttie’s fitness to practise was not impaired – meaning he can continue working in the sector – but considered whether he should still receive a warning on his record.
Chloe Fairley, counsel for the General Medical Council, told the tribunal that Dr Suttie had admitted “significant and serious misconduct which demonstrated a serious departure from GMP (good medical practice)”.
She said that “these failings put Patient A and Baby C at risk and could damage confidence in the profession”.
‘Harm occurred due to Dr Keith Suttie’s failings’
Ms Fairley also said the tribunal “should consider that Dr Suttie’s failings not only put Patient A and Baby C at risk of harm, but harm did occur”.
She added that while Dr Suttie had a good record and had shown insight into his conduct, giving him a warning would “send an appropriate signal to the public and wider profession to acknowledge the seriousness of Dr Suttie’s failures”.
In response, Dr Suttie told the tribunal that he hoped his good record and insight would mean “that a warning was not considered necessary”.
He added that he understood “the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession and maintaining appropriate professional standards”.
The MPTS decided against placing a warning on Dr Suttie’s record – saying it was an “isolated episode in an otherwise unblemished career”.
Dundee doctor’s ‘intense regret and responsibility for his actions’
Tribunal chair Annie Hockaday said: “The tribunal was satisfied that Dr Suttie already fully understands that his conduct on November 10 2017 was a departure from the standards expected of him and that it had a serious impact on Patient A, Baby C and their family.
“The tribunal was satisfied that Dr Suttie feels intense regret and responsibility for his actions and has found that the risk of repetition is highly unlikely.
“It therefore determined that a warning is not necessary to ensure Dr Suttie understands the seriousness of his misconduct, and no further deterrent was required in this case.”
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.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We do not comment on matters relating to individual members of staff.”
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