Claire Roberts: Doctor admits failing to inform coroner of nine-year-old's hyponatraemia death
UTV News correspondent Gareth Wilkinson reports.
A doctor accused of series of failures in relation to the death of a nine-year-old girl has admitted she failed to tell her parents the case should have been referred to the coroner.
A medical misconduct tribunal has also heard claims that Dr Heather Steen knew her decision not to inform the coroner about Claire Roberts' death at the time was wrong.
The General Medical Council (GMC) says Dr Steen didn’t give a proper explanation of the probable cause when informing Claire's parents of her death in October 1996
The GMC outlined its case against Dr Steen at a fitness to practice hearing.
It is alleged the paediatrician concealed the true circumstances of Claire Robert’s death.
The rapid deterioration of Claire’s condition after she was admitted to hospital with a suspected stomach bug in 1996 has been outlined at a hearing on Tuesday.
Claire’s death was caused by an overdose of fluids, as her sodium levels dropped leading to hyponatraemia.
A junior doctor detected her hyponatraemic condition but only hours before her death.
Dr Steen told Clair’s parents she most likely died from a bug that had spread from her stomach to her brain, probably caused by a virus.
It’s alleged Dr Steen decided Claire’s death was not a case for the coroner.
On Tuesday, she admitted that her communications with Claire’s parents were inappropriate as she failed to disclose that it was necessary to refer their daughter's death to the coroner because it was sudden and unexplained.
During the long-running Hyponatraemia Inquiry Dr Steen said that at the time she felt she knew the circumstance of Claire’s death.
She has denied allegations she was involved in any cover up.
Despite Dr Steen’s admission, she faces a number of other charges in relation to Claire Roberts' death.
Earlier this week, an application by Dr Steen to be voluntarily removed from the medical registrar on the grounds of ill health was rejected.
That would have halted this tribunal.
It is expected to run until the end of the month.