Punjab Medical Council summons 14 doctors over alleged medical negligence

Ludhiana: Altogether 14 doctors of the Civil Hospital Ludhiana have been summoned by the Punjab Medical Council in respect of alleged medical negligence during the treatment of an accident victim.

This comes after the Medical Council received an inquiry report into the incident from the office of the Punjab Chief Secretary. All the doctors have been asked to appear before the inquiry committee on September 20 at 2:00 PM along with all the relevant records of the case.

In the letter summoning the doctors, the State Medical Council mentioned, "This office has received an inquiry report of deputy commissioner, Ludhiana, from chief secretary, Punjab, in regards to the death of an unknown person in Lord Mahavir Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. In this regard, you are directed to appear before the inquiry committee on 20.09.2023 at 2:00 pm in the O/O registrar, Punjab Medical Council along with all relevant records of the case."

Earlier on September 09, 2023, in connection with the incident, the State Health Minister of Punjab Dr. Balbir Singh had suspended three employees of the hospital, including two staff nurses and grade 4 employees.

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As per the latest media report by Hindustan Times, the list of doctors who the Council has summoned includes the emergency medical officer Dr. Gill, house surgeon in the emergency ward Dr. Yadav, house surgeon Dr. Chhabra, medical officer Dr. Kamal, house surgeon Dr. Lall, MD- medicine, medical officer Dr. Kaur, orthopaedics, medical officers Dr. Singla and Dr. Mangla, medical officer, surgery Dr. Malhi, medical officer, specialist Dr. Kaur and senior medical officer Dr. Mandeep Sidhu.

The Daily adds that the matter concerned a mishap victim, who fell from a stretcher while awaiting treatment due to a lack of available beds on August 27, 2023.

Three days later, Chief Secretary Anurag Verma had ordered an inquiry into the matter by Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik. The 26-page report, which Malik submitted on September 04, 2023, also exposed serious lapses in the operations of the medical facility and alleged carelessness on the part of the doctors and other staff of the hospital while admitting the patient.

The probe was conducted by a penal headed by Deputy Commissioner Malik as its Chairperson. It also comprised Additional Deputy Commissioner Gautam Jain, SDM (East) Gursimran Singh Dhillon, and Civil Surgeon Hatinder Kaur as members.

The Tribune adds that the panel concluded in its report that "The inquiry committee finds that the SMO should have stricter control and supervision over the staff and management, which is missing in the above incident."

Earlier, the inquiry had already reported additional/ supervisory lapses on the part of five other doctors and a lack of better management/ vigilance on the part of another doctor on duty at the hospital on the day of the incident.

In its 26-page report, the probe panel further mentioned, "It is observed that the SMO in-charge is required to ensure that the management of the hospital and SOPs are duly followed in management of patients and required treatment be given to patients admitted to all wards."

Further observing that the duty rosters should not be casually maintained and implemented, the panel submitted, "The late coming behaviour of doctors/ house surgeons also required handling with a firm hand as the lives of the patients are at stake."

The panel has suggested that the leaves of the staff should be sanctioned as per guidelines and substitutes should be arranged and posted before the competent authority sanctions the leave applications.

Advising that special cases should be taken so that patient management was not compromised during the shift change over timings, the panel mentioned, “The casual late coming behaviour should be strictly curbed and action should be taken against absentees or those arriving late for duty.”

The panel has also recommended improvement in the bedside manner and observed that the paramedical staff should be polite and empathetic towards the patients. “Rude and casual behaviour on the part of the treating team should be strictly dealt with,” the panel observed.

Emphasising medical training including sessions on behavior and manners while dealing with patients, the panel further suggested compulsory sudden/supervisory rounds by administrative doctors.

"The attendance, clinical management and adherence to patient management SOPs should be regularly monitored and supervised by the administrative doctors,” it mentioned in the report.

The panel also referred to the absence of the house surgeon on duty and pointed out that the surgeon had put CPR notes on the patient's file on behalf of the concerned doctor and in his absence.

Observing it to be a wrong practice, the panel suggested to avoid the same and added, "The committee finds that though this sort of practice should be avoided, it is of the opinion that proper medico legal training should be provided to all house surgeons/ fresh graduates from the medical profession." However, the panel mentioned that the intentions of the concerned surgeon were not malafide.

Further, the panel also found several overwritings for duty change without the approval of the competent authority in the roster of doctors. The panel was also informed that the house surgeon mutually adjusted the duties and sometimes the nodal officer/SMO did not have any knowledge about this.

Noting that the incident corroborated the causal manner of operations of duty rosters, the panel referred to the fact that one of the doctors was found on leave without alternative arrangements at the time of the incident and another doctor had reached late on duty.

“Thus, it is observed that this system of duties is casually operated at the Civil Hospital without due understanding of importance of medical duties,” noted the panel.

“The committee concluded that the duty roster should be strictly implemented and followed to avoid any such dereliction of duty in future,” the report added.

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