A Medical Council fitness-to-practice committee has ruled that a doctor who removed the wrong kidney from a young boy will avoid a charge of professional misconduct after choosing to invoke Section 67 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007 which allows doctors to undertake not to repeat errors. The ruling has attracted significant criticism from the media.
The young boy, who was left with a barley functioning kidney, has had to undergo dialysis on a regular basis. He may eventually need a transplant. The botched operation took place at Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin in March 2008.
The mistake came despite the boy’s parents’ repeatedly seeking clarification of which kidney was to be removed. It was later revealed that no-one had reviewed the boy’s e-ray before entering the operating theatre.