Controversial medic hearing resumes

A disciplinary hearing into the work of controversial paediatrician David Southall is due to resume.

Dr Southall, along with two other doctors, faces a charge of serious professional misconduct in relation to the so-called CNEP (Continuous Negative Extrathoracic Pressure) breathing tank trials.

He oversaw the research at North Staffordshire Hospital in the early 1990s which involved placing premature babies into low pressure incubators so they could breathe unaided.

The General Medical Council (GMC) Fitness to Practise hearing was due to start in Manchester last Thursday but was postponed until Tuesday for the GMC to assess fresh evidence which had emerged.

Stoke couple Carl and Deborah Henshall have campaigned since 1996 for the hearing to come before the GMC.

Their two baby daughters, Stacey and Sofie, were placed into CNEP tanks. Stacey died after two days, while Sophie survived but was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Last month, Dr Southall won his legal battle to overturn his immediate suspension from working as a doctor after being struck off the medical register in a separate case.

He was found guilty last December of serious professional misconduct after he was ruled to have abused his position by accusing a grieving mother of murdering her 10-year-old son.

A High Court judge overturned his suspension pending the outcome of an appeal against his striking off later this year.

In 2004 Dr Southall was suspended from child protection work over his role in the case of solicitor Sally Clark, wrongly jailed over the death of her two sons.

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