Doctor who killed patient struck off

A doctor who injected two patients with six times the correct dose of painkiller - killing one of them - was struck off the medical register today.

Dr Michael Stevenson, 57, was spared jail when he admitted the manslaughter of grandmother Marjorie Wright at her home in Workington, Cumbria, in January 2005.

The family GP, from Millom, accidentally gave Mrs Wright, 58, a 30mg dose of diamorphine instead of 5mg, failed to monitor her reaction to the drug and left to do another call. She was found dead when police broke into her home shortly after.

On his next visit for the CueDoc out-of-hours GP service, he administered an identical overdose to a 59-year-old builder who suffered an immediate respiratory arrest. The builder survived after paramedics were swiftly called and gave him a vital antidote.

A General Medical Fitness to Practise panel ruled Dr Stevenson's conduct over both patients "demonstrated a disregard for patient safety".

Dr Stevenson was handed a 15-month jail term, suspended for two years, at Preston Crown Court in April 2007.

The court was told the senior partner at the Seascale Practice was forced to take a sabbatical by colleagues over concerns about his workaholic nature.

He had suffered from depression since childhood and tried to bury his mental illness through overwork.

The panel, sitting in Manchester, said it was "disturbed" by the evidence that Dr Stevenson continued to undertake a heavy workload at the time despite concerns for his wellbeing.

Panel chairman Professor Ken Hobbs said: "He has failed to demonstrate any insight into his attitude in this respect, nor did he acknowledge the risk which such an excessive workload posed to patient safety.

"The panel considers that Dr Stevenson's conduct demonstrates a continuing risk to patients and regards it to be fundamentally incompatible with his continuing to be a registered medical practitioner."