Botched abortion doctor can still work

A doctor who pulled out a woman's ovary and part of her bowel in a botched abortion has escaped being struck off the medical register.

The General Medical Council found consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician Andrew Gbinigie, 47, guilty of serious professional misconduct but ruled that he could continue carrying out abortions if he abided by a series of conditions for three years.

Gbinigie, of Barnt Green, Birmingham, performed an abortion on a 20-week pregnant woman, identified only as Miss A, 21, in November 2000 that was beyond his clinical competence and technical expertise, the council's professional conduct committee, sitting in London, ruled.

During the abortion at Birmingham's private Calthorpe Clinic Gbinigie ruptured the patient's uterus wall, removed her right ovary and fallopian tube.

It was only after he pulled out a piece of her bowel that he realised something was wrong and called for help from senior staff.

Committee chairman Barbara Grant-Braham told an impassive Gbinigie that he had been involved in a "significant breach" of the principles of good medical practice and the standards of conduct that the public should receive.

She said: "The committee find the operation on Miss A, though disastrous in its ultimate outcome, did not represent a pattern of incompetent surgery.

"The committee also heard that there has been no repetition of your improper conduct towards female colleagues."

Gbinigie can continue to carry out abortions, whether in a private clinic or within the NHS, but only at sites that have immediate access to intensive care units and surgical experts, the committee ruled.

Provided this condition is met he can carry out terminations on anyone who is less than 12 weeks pregnant without supervision.

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