A BLAENAU Gwent GP said she was “absolutely shocked” to learn that a boy who had been suffering with an undiagnosed Addison’s Crisis had died just hours after her consultation with his mother.

Ryan Morse, 12, of Brynithel, died at home in the early hours of December 8, 2012 from an Addison’s Disease crisis.

Dr Lindsey Thomas, aged 42, of Copper Beech Drive, Tredegar, and Dr Joanne Rudling, aged 46, of Blackberry Way, Pontprennau, Cardiff, have both pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter for the unlawful killing of Ryan by gross negligence.

Rudling has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Both defendants are on bail.

The charges relate to two separate phone conversations the doctors at Abernant Surgery had with Ryan’s mum, Carol, on Friday, December 7.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the transcripts of Dr Thomas’ interview with Dr Liam Taylor, deputy medical director of Aneurin Bevan Health Board, today.

In her interview on January 12, 2013, Dr Thomas said Mrs Morse told her that Ryan was “delirious”, had diarrhoea, a high temperature and a headache.

She advised Mrs Morse to give Ryan a 500mg tablet of paracetamol and to ring back two hours later if Ryan did not feel any better.

Mr Taylor asked: “Given the advice, if it had still been a problem, then surely she would’ve phoned back?”

She replied: “I assumed from this that he had settled down.”

Dr Thomas said the possibility that Ryan had meningococcal septicemia had crossed her mind but she was shocked when she learnt of his death.

She said: “Jan, the receptionist, took me aside and she said, ‘I’m really sorry to have to tell you this but Ryan, the boy whose mother you spoke to on Friday has died’.

“I was absolutely shocked by this.”

The court also heard from Dr Leonard Peter, a medical expert with more than 40 years’ experience as a GP.

Dr Peter said that Ryan should have had an out of hours visit from Dr Rudling when Mrs Morse told her that she had to change him because of his diarrhoea.

Cross-examining Dr Peter on behalf of Dr Rudling, Zoe Johnson asked: “The single line that she had up on the computer and the questions she asked and the answers elicited, based on that, there would be no need to make an out of hours visit?”

He replied: “No. If that’s all she had she wouldn’t have just left it at that. She should’ve asked all the original questions that were available in the notes.

“She had lots of this information in the records but she didn’t avail herself of it.”

Proceeding.