CALLS have been made for a disciplinary panel to publish its findings after a Newport girl died of an asthma attack after her GP turned her away.
Five-year-old Ellie-May Clark and her 25-year-old mother Shanice were turned away when visiting Dr Joanne Rowe at the Grange Clinic in Westfield Avenue, on January 26, 2015, because they were four minutes late to the appointment.
Ellie-May died of an asthma attack five hours after Dr Rowe is said to have shouted at a receptionist: “No I’m not seeing her, she’s late”.
Dr Rowe was let off with a warning by the General Medical Council (GMC) and has now moved to a different practice.
Charlie Massey, chief executive of the GMC, has apologised to Ellie-May’s family for not keeping them fully informed on the investigation and said the matter will be “discussed further” with the family.
Mr Massey said: “We strive to keep patients and their families fully informed about the progress of our investigations. We accept that this didn’t happen in this case and we would like to apologise to the family for not doing so.”
Mr Massey said the warning and details of Dr Rowe’s actions are published for patients and employers to see on the online register.
Ellie-May’s family are now calling for a criminal inquiry into the doctor and say Dr Rowe should be struck off the GP register.
The little girl’s grandmother Brandi Clark, 43, has previously said: “Her decision cost our gorgeous little girl her life.”
She added: “Our lives have been shattered but Dr Rowe has been allowed to get a new job and quietly move on with her life as if nothing ever happened.”
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