Trust recalls 2,500 patients as probe into doctor widens

Now Dr Michael Watt’s entire current patient list comprising 2,500 people will be reviewed as the probe into the consultant’s care widens.

Speaking to the News Letter, Dr Mark Mitchelson – a senior consultant over neurosciences – said concerns about Dr Watt were first raised in December 2016 by a local GP and subsequently by consultants within the trust.

He said the concerns were about “a very small area of practice”, understood to be related to patients suffering from headaches.

Dr Mitchelson said as soon as concerns were raised it took “active steps to ensure patient safety”. He said Dr Watt was “restricted from performing certain procedures” and his patient management had to be discussed with a colleague.

He added: “Initially the concerns were about very specific areas of practice but we subsequently had more concerns raised as a result of the internal review process and at that point, when concerns expanded, we decided to introduce a full restriction of clinical practice [for Dr Watt].”

While he is not suspended and remains a Belfast Trust employee as the review continues, it was confirmed he has not practised as a consultant since the summer of 2017.

After the trust’s internal review finished, an independent review was carried out by the Royal College of Physicians who looked at 48 patient records. The completed review was sent to the trust last week.

“It confirmed there were concerns regarding patient management and that was over a range of conditions,” said Dr Mitchelson.

Asked if Dr Watt had put lives at risk, he said: “We are unaware of anyone coming to significant harm as a result of Dr Watt’s actions. There is no allegation of maleficence or anything untoward like that. However, concerns have been raised about diagnoses and treatment plans and therefore in order to give the reassurance [to his patients], the only way we can do that is to ensure we have a full review.”

He added: “As doctors we’re very upset when standards dip below what is expected. Associated with that the stress and anxiety that a recall like this must be having on patients and their families must be terrible and for that we’re deeply sorry.

“However, we believe it is essential to be prudent and cautious and in order to be confident in the care that each patient has received and to provide that reassurance to patients, their families and ourselves, that’s the reason we’re undertaking this review.

“We do not think every patient will be affected. We certainly hope that this is a small minority, but the only way to give that reassurance is to see every single one of them.”

All Dr Watt’s patients have been contacted by letter and encouraged to make an appointment, with the first clinic taking place this Saturday.

Patricia Gordon, director of the local MS Society said: “While we are deeply concerned about the announcement, we are pleased that a helpline has been established and that the trust has committed to provide review appointments within 12 weeks.”

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw said: “We hear every day the health service is under tremendous pressures and staff members have extremely high work-loads, so it is important patients can be assured all measures are in place to ensure safe diagnoses and associated, appropriate treatment plans.”