GPs off rota after woman's death

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Eight doctors who a coroner said had contributed to the death of a woman who died from multiple organ failure have been taken off duty pending a review.

Penny Campbell, 41, of Islington, north London, died in March 2005 from complications she developed after an injection for haemorrhoids.

She had been misdiagnosed by the GPs who worked for the out-of-hours service Camidoc, an inquest had heard.

Camidoc said the doctors' return was dependent on the outcome of a review.

Telephone consultations

Ms Campbell fell ill after being treated for piles on Wednesday 23 March and died of septicaemia.

In the four days before she died she was diagnosed with a number of conditions including colic, flu and viral infections.

The mother-of-one, who was working as Time magazine's associate editor, spoke to six GPs over the phone and saw two face-to-face.

It's a matter of enormous concern that this has only begun 18 months after Penny's death Angus MacKinnon

Earlier this month a coroner ruled that the doctors had contributed to Ms Campbell's death because they failed to recognise the seriousness of her condition.

Camidoc chief executive Michael Golding said those involved had agreed to voluntarily step down from the duty rota while the review was undertaken.

"Any decision to allow them to work at Camidoc in the future will be dependent on the outcome of the review, he said.

"We are also in discussions with primary care trust colleagues about the possibility of widening the scope of the review so as to maximise the possible learning for the wider health community."

Ms Campbell's partner of almost 20 years, Angus MacKinnon, is considering taking legal action against Camidoc.

He welcomed the move but said: "It's a matter of enormous concern that this has only begun 18 months after Penny's death."

The review is expected to take up to six weeks.