A watchdog report into the treatment of a number of people cared for by Consultant Neurologist Michael Watt has found “significant failures”.
The 44 patients were treated by Dr Watt whose work became the basis of Northern Ireland’s largest ever patient recall.
In June, the Independent Neurology Inquiry found that Belfast Health Trust failed to intervene quickly enough regarding Dr Watt’s work.
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More than 5,000 former patients of the neurologist were invited to have their cases examined for possible misdiagnoses. The inquiry found “numerous failures”.
Among the conditions being treated were stroke, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS). The Independent Neurology Inquiry concluded that the combined effect of the failures ensured that patterns in the consultant’s work were missed for a decade.
The report published today by the Royal College of Physicians is based on a review by an expert panel which was directed by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.
The panel looked at two groups of deceased patients - a cohort of 29 ‘whose families had contacted RQIA with concerns about the care and treatment of their relative’ and a cohort of 16 ‘who had been included in the Belfast Trust’s Cohort 1 neurology recall, who unfortunately died before attending or completing their reassessment’.
The expert panel excluded one patient from this group as there was no evidence in their records that they had ever been under Dr Watt’s care, bringing the total number of cases reviewed to 44.
Among the key findings from the Review are:
*A lack of empathy and often a failure to consider patients’ needs holistically;
*Concern over the assessment and initial management of patients, aspects of clinical decision-making, diagnostic approach, prescribing, the communications and engagement with other clinicians, and interactions with patients.
*Concerns or omissions and their potential to lead to harm in almost half of the cases examined, including that some of the treatments prescribed were unnecessary and invasive;
*In several instances, the review team believed patients had been denied holistic, supportive care that may have made their condition, and ultimately end of life care, easier to manage;
*In almost half the cases reviewed the team did not consider the diagnosis to have been secure;
*The review team concluded that more than half of cases were graded "poor care" or "very poor care" in terms of initial management of the patient, and that clinical decision making was "poor" or "very poor";
*They found that more than half of cases reviewed there was ‘poor care’ or ‘very poor care’ in terms of communication with colleagues, and that there was little evidence that multidisciplinary team input into complex cases was sought.
Announcing the publication of the Report of the Expert Panel, RQIA’s Chair, Christine Collins said: “I commend the courage and openness of all those families who came forward to engage in this Review. Family accounts starkly illustrate how failings by an individual practitioner, and by the system, led to deep human impacts and resulting harm, both to the deceased patients and to their bereaved families.
“While this process has been difficult and may not have produced the outcome sought by some families, RQIA sincerely thanks every family for their patience, their personal commitment and the invaluable contribution they have made on behalf of their loved ones.
“As Northern Ireland’s independent regulator for health and social care, the Authority is committed to using its role and powers to ensure that the recommendations within this report are implemented ”
RQIA’s Chief Executive Briege Donaghy said: “Our staff, have been deeply moved through our involvement with the bereaved families. We are determined that the actions we take, driven by the findings from this Review, will improve clinical practice, the safety of services and the experience of patients and of families.”
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