Grandmother dies after locum doctor who had received no training in Britain failed to detect heart condition

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:24 PM on 9th August 2011

A grandmother died after being sent home by a foreign locum doctor who had not had any NHS training.
Irene Mitchell, 59, had a serious heart condition which was not diagnosed by locum Ali Mehri.
She arrived at hospital suffering from what her family believe was a heart attack and in need of urgent attention.
Irene Mitchell: The 59-year-old died after being sent home by locum doctor Ali Mehri
Irene Mitchell: The 59-year-old died after being sent home by locum Dr Ali Mehri
But Dr Mehri misread the results of an electrocardiogram and sent her home from Doncaster Royal Infirmary without treatment.
After her condition deteriorated, Mrs Mitchell returned to hospital three days later.
It took two more days for her to be transferred to the coronary care unit for surgery at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield.
But Mrs Mitchell died on Christmas Day 2009, before the surgery could be performed.
 

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A narrative verdict was recorded by Doncaster coroner Nicola Mundy at an inquest. Ms Mundy said failure to act upon the ECG and administer urgent treatment had contributed towards Mrs Mitchell's death.
The coroner heard existing staff had raised questions about Dr Mehri's clinical methods and the standard and speed of his work. Despite these concerns, he was one of the most senior doctors in the accident and emergency department.
Dr Mehri had received no induction or training when he arrived at the trust, having previously worked in Qatar. He was recruited via an agency just three weeks before Mrs Mitchell's death.
Doncaster Royal Infirmary: Mrs Mitchell was sent home from this hospital despite her heart condition
Doncaster Royal Infirmary: Mrs Mitchell was sent home from this hospital despite her heart condition
Health bosses deny that Mrs Mitchell, manager of a bookmakers in Doncaster, suffered a heart attack, but accept she had serious heart problems.
Mrs Mitchell's daughter Sadie Daines said she was concerned an agency doctor without NHS training had been in charge.
She said: 'Our anger is never going to go away. We are still angry that this was allowed to happen. This man was the senior person that day and she was sent home.
'We want people to challenge what doctors say. We asked for her not to be sent home, but that is what happened.'
The family's lawyer said Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had recognised failures involved in Mrs Mitchell's case and apologised to the family.
She said: 'The failure to read the results of Irene's ECG test in this case led to a lengthy delay in diagnosis and by the time her cardiac problems were eventually recognised the opportunity to give her drug treatment, which may have saved her life, had been missed.
'Although we welcome the changes the Trust has made at Doncaster Royal Infirmary since Irene's death, and the apology made to the family, the Mitchells want assurances that lessons learnt will be shared throughout the NHS to prevent any other family from suffering.'
The NHS trust recognised that mistakes had been made, but defended its hiring of Dr Mehri.
A statement from the trust said: 'The inquest into Mrs Mitchell's death found she had died from the effects of coronary artery atheroma.
'But the coroner also indicated that, had the abnormal ECG on December 17 2009 been acted upon, Mrs Mitchell's life would have been prolonged and she would on balance not have died when she did. We have accepted that verdict and have apologised to the family.
'Dr Ali Mehri started work at DRI on November 23, 2009, coming from a specialist agency. Excellent references were received that put him well within the capabilities of a staff grade role, and able to work without direct supervision.
'Events surrounding this case were investigated in line with NHS Clinical Governance arrangements. The conclusions were shared with the family and an apology from the Trust was given.'