A GP banned for misconduct over the death of 12-year-old boy will be allowed to practise again after her suspension was lifted three months early.

Dr Joanne Rudling, from the Abernant surgery in Abertillery, was disqualified for her handling of the treatment of Ryan Morse from Brynithel.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) disciplinary panel suspended her for nine months last November but that period has been revoked and she is now allowed to resume her duties.

A review hearing was told the “former GP's practice indicates that they are keen to have the doctor return, especially given the current Covid-19 situation”.

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Ryan died at home in December 2012 from undiagnosed Addison's disease, a rare disorder of the adrenal glands, after a phone conversation between his concerned mother, Carol, and their family GP Dr Rudling the day before.

She did not make a contemporaneous note of the three-minute call in Ryan's medical records on Friday December 7.

Instead she made an entry on the following Monday when she learned of his death and as police waited in the reception area at the Abernant Surgery to collect the records.

The disciplinary panel ruled Dr Rudling was "self-serving" as she failed to record she was told Ryan's genitalia were black and used a "less striking description" to avoid any criticism.

In the review by MPTS chair Claire Sharp into her suspension, she said: “I note that Dr B, the lead GP of the practice where Dr Rudling used to work, has sent a further testimonial and has asked for her to be permitted to practice again.

“Within his letter, Dr B outlined that he is currently a single-handed GP with a list size of just under 7,000 patients, and the Covid-19 pandemic has placed his practice under a great deal of pressure.

“He describes Dr Rudling as having done “an exceptional job as a GP” and to be “a very good clinician, efficient, honest and dedicated to her work”.

“In addition, Mr C, the business manager of the practice, has written to say “Since the MPTS hearing in November, I have spoken and observed the intrinsic resolve which Dr Rudling has in learning, growing, and overcoming, as a person and as a doctor.

"She has concentrated her efforts to rectify deficiencies which were identified throughout the tribunal and further developed the understanding of the expectations of a practitioner.

"Mr C also says that both patients and staff at the practice routinely ask when Dr Rudling is returning and that the community has been adversely affected by her absence.”

She was suspended until September 20 but that has now been revoked.

The tribunal sitting in Manchester last year found the doctor knowingly made an untrue statement to Gwent Police in November 2013 when she "exaggerated" in saying she had seen a summary of a fellow doctor's notes from an earlier call to the surgery by Mrs Morse on December 7.

However tribunal chair Jayne Wheat said they determined that Dr Rudling was not "fundamentally dishonest".

She said: "The tribunal considered that Dr Rudling had had an unblemished career prior to these events.

"It took into account that there had been no repetition of the dishonest behaviour in the seven years since these events.

"Whilst the dishonesty which occurred was undoubtedly serious, when viewed on the spectrum of dishonest conduct the tribunal concluded her conduct was not at the highest end.

"The tribunal considered that a period of suspension should allow Dr Rudling time to begin the process of reflection and remediation and to develop insight.

"It considered she had demonstrated her capability to do so in the clinical areas of her practice."