A doctor has been found guilty of professional misconduct in his treatment of a man (37) who died from cancer more than a year after the doctor removed a mole from his back but failed to send any tissue for diagnosis.
A fitness to practise committee of the Medical Council today found Dr Peter Peng-Cheng Ting guilty of six counts of professional misconduct in his treatment of William Cashell, a father of one of Rush, Co Dublin.
The committee will now make recommendations to the council concerning any sanctions to be applied to Dr Ting with the final decision on sanctions to be made by the council.
After today's decision, Mr Cashell's father said the family was very happy with the outcome and hoped the case would raise awareness among others.
Mr Cashell went to Dr Ting in February 2007 with a mole on his back which, his partner Lorraine Coady told the inquiry, he had complained was sore and itchy. Ms Coady also said she noticed the mole in about December 2006 and that it had increased in size and changed colour by February 2007.
Dr Ting cauterised the mole, which he described as a skin lesion, and said he believed it was benign and not sinister. He did not record either the consultation or procedure in medical notes.
When Mr Cashell returned to Dr Ting in April 2007 with a lump under his arm, Dr Ting referred him to a specialist at Beaumont Hospital and also arranged for a chest X-ray and an ultrasound scan.
The underarm lump doubled in size by July 2007 when Mr Cashell also developed a lump in his groin. Beaumont had given him an appointment for August 17th, 2007, with a consultant, but Dr Ting sought an earlier appointment in a further letter to Beaumont, saying Mr Cashell was experiencing considerable pain.
Mr Cashell was seen at Beaumont's A&E department where blood tests were carried out that were not considered to reveal any abnormalities, and he was returned into Dr Ting's care. The August 17th consultation was not brought forward, and he was seen then when procedures were arranged.
On September 3rd, Mr Cashell reported to D-Doc service with pain and was sent by it to Beaumont, which admitted him. A biopsy on September 6th revealed he had terminal cancer, and he died on May 31st, 2008.
Today, the fitness to practise committee found Dr Ting guilty of professional misconduct in not sending the mole tissue for biopsy and in failing to adequately manage a potentially very serious condition. It also found him guilty of professional misconduct arising from his admitted failure to maintain any note of his February 2007 consultation with Mr Cashell. It further found he failed to act in the best interests of Mr Cashell and that this was unacceptable and amounted to professional misconduct.
Dr Ting also failed to take an adequate history from Mr Cashell and failed to apply appropriate standards and judgment, again amounting to professional misconduct, the committee found.
Dr Ting had also failed to comply with notices from the Medical Council concerning the allegations made against him, it found.
The committee ruled that other allegations of misconduct - that Dr Ting failed to refer Mr Cashell to a suitably qualified specialist and failed to carry out adequate investigations after February 2007 - were not proven.
