Northern Ireland

Dr Watt patient seeking urgent meeting with health minister after learning her new consultant is facing misconduct charges

Danielle O'Neill, a former patient of consultant neurologist Dr Michael Watt. Picture by Mal McCann.
Danielle O'Neill, a former patient of consultant neurologist Dr Michael Watt. Picture by Mal McCann. Danielle O'Neill, a former patient of consultant neurologist Dr Michael Watt. Picture by Mal McCann.

A FORMER patient of Dr Michael Watt is seeking an urgent meeting with the health minister after learning a consultant reviewing her case is facing professional misconduct charges.

The Irish News yesterday reported that Belfast woman Danielle O'Neill was "retraumatised" following confirmation Dr Hany El-Naggar is under investigation by the medical regulator.

A five-day hearing is due to take place next week in relation to the consultant neurologist's alleged care failings in a Nottingham hospital five years ago.

Dr El-Naggar was employed by the Belfast trust to re-assess patients caught up in an unprecedented recall scandal three years ago due to "safety concerns" about Dr Watt. A public inquiry was ordered into the crisis.

Ms O'Neill (38), who was given a misdiagnosis and prescribed the wrong drugs while under Dr Watt's care, said she was inundated with calls yesterday from other "deeply upset" patients.

She has been reviewed three times by Dr El-Naggar since 2018 and is due for another another assessment shortly.

"Since the article's publication yesterday, a lot of very worried people contacted me who are now questioning their diagnoses," she said.

"Like me, they are also questioning how the Belfast trust could do this, how they could put us under the care of another doctor who is being investigated for misconduct, it beggars belief.

"I am now seeking an urgent meeting with health minister Robin Swann in light of these allegations. I have yet to hear anything from the trust about this."

The Belfast trust said it was aware of the charges against Dr El-Naggar but was "satisfied" they did not impact on his recall work, adding: "Patient safety remains our highest priority."

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín also submitted urgent questions to Mr Swann after meeting with affected patients.

"They are very worried by this development," she said.

"These patients need clarity and the Department of Health and health trust must ensure there is transparency and accountability at every step of this process - and that the needs of patients always come first."

Dr El-Naggar's misconduct hearing will centre on a "number of failures" concerning the interpretation of a CT brain scan - resulting in claims he "inappropriately withheld" a drug treatment despite a patient's "deteriorating condition" and advice by other medics to administer it.

While concerns about his work were investigated by his professional body, the General Medical Council (GMC), the hearings will be overseen by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS).