A PROFESSIONAL misconduct hearing has been adjourned into alleged care failings by a consultant employed by the Belfast health trust to reassess patients caught up in the Dr Michael Watt scandal.
Dr Hany El-Naggar is under investigation by the medical regulator due to concerns around his work in a Nottingham hospital five years ago, with claims he withheld a drug treatment despite a patient's "deteriorating condition".
The consultant neurologist faced an initial five-day hearing in March by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) and further evidence was heard at the end of last month.
It will sit again next month for a further five days.
The case centres on delays in the treatment of a 44-year-old woman ('Patient A') with suspected stroke symptoms.
While a number of allegations were dropped in March, the majority remain and relate to claims he "inappropriately withheld" vital clot-busting "thrombolysis treatment" which had been clinically indicated.
The MPTS - which is separate from the General Medical Council (GMC) regulator and makes independent decisions about a doctor's fitness to pratice - also confirmed they are still probing allegations that Dr El-Naggar failed to "reconsider" his opinion despite the patient's worsening condition and a phone call with a colleague.
Further claims relating to his failure to "adequately interpret" Patient A's brain scan continue to be probed.
Dr El-Naggar also face charges concerning his failure to "exercise proper independent clinical judgment in applying guidelines available" to himself.
Allegations withdrawn by the GMC relate to his failure to discuss his findings with an on-call radiologist or consultant and that he "overruled the opinion of the radiologist".
The regulator also dropped an allegation that he "arranged for it to be relayed" to the patient and their family that the treatment was not recommended, as well as his claims that he didn't attempt to resolve his disagreement with colleagues.
In March, The Irish News revealed how Dr El-Naggar was being investigated - and how it had "re-traumatised" some neurology recall patients under his care in the Belfast trust.
The medic, who specialises in epilepsy research and is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, was one of several locum doctors employed by the trust in 2018 to examine former patients of neurologist Dr Michael Watt, following an unprecedented recall sparked by "safety concerns".
The trust told The Irish News earlier this year that they "remain satisfied" the misconduct investigation "does not impact upon the specific area of work the consultant was asked to undertake as part of the Neurology Recall or the ongoing follow up of patients in his care".
"Patient safety remains our highest priority," they added.
The MPTS case will begin again on August 16.
