This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/7113753.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Paediatrician 'abused position' Paediatrician 'abused position'
(10 minutes later)
A controversial paediatrician inappropriately accused a bereaved mother of killing her son, the General Medical Council has found.A controversial paediatrician inappropriately accused a bereaved mother of killing her son, the General Medical Council has found.
The GMC decided Dr David Southall abused his position by accusing the woman of drugging and hanging her son.The GMC decided Dr David Southall abused his position by accusing the woman of drugging and hanging her son.
It will decide later this week whether Dr Southall is guilty of serious professional misconduct, and whether to strike him off the medical register. It will now decide whether Dr Southall is guilty of serious professional misconduct, and whether to strike him off the medical register.
It will first hear statements in mitigation from Dr Southall's lawyer.It will first hear statements in mitigation from Dr Southall's lawyer.
The GMC panel decided that Dr Southall's actions added to the distress of the mother - identified only as Mrs M - whose 10-year-old son hanged himself in 1996.The GMC panel decided that Dr Southall's actions added to the distress of the mother - identified only as Mrs M - whose 10-year-old son hanged himself in 1996.
Dr Southall made the claim in an interview with Mrs M about the safety of her surviving son.Dr Southall made the claim in an interview with Mrs M about the safety of her surviving son.
He had been instructed by Shropshire County Council to provide anindependent expert report to the court. He had been instructed by Shropshire County Council to provide an independent expert report to the court.
Panel chairman Dr Jacqueline Mitton told Dr Southall: "Although Mrs M was not your patient your action in accusing her of drugging and murdering Child M1 (her son) by hanging him was inappropriate, added to her distress and was in the circumstances an abuse of your professional position."Panel chairman Dr Jacqueline Mitton told Dr Southall: "Although Mrs M was not your patient your action in accusing her of drugging and murdering Child M1 (her son) by hanging him was inappropriate, added to her distress and was in the circumstances an abuse of your professional position."
Special filesSpecial files
The GMC is also investigating an allegation that Dr Southall kept thousands of special files on children in his care that he believed were at risk during the 1980s and 1990s separately from their medical records. The GMC also ruled that that Dr Southall acted inappropriately in keeping original medical documents on children in his care in his own special case files.
Dr Southall was already suspended from child protection work.Dr Southall was already suspended from child protection work.
He was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the GMC in 2004 over his role in the case of Sally Clark, wrongly jailed over the death of her two sons.He was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the GMC in 2004 over his role in the case of Sally Clark, wrongly jailed over the death of her two sons.
Dr Southall accused Mrs Clark's husband Steve of murdering the two boys on the basis of a television interview.Dr Southall accused Mrs Clark's husband Steve of murdering the two boys on the basis of a television interview.