Paediatrician in ‘Baby P’ UK case is fined €5,000 by Irish Medical Council

A paediatrician who was involved in the "Baby P" case in the UK has been fined €5,000 and had conditions attached to her practice by the Irish Medical Council.

The council's decision in relation to Dr Sabah Al-Zayyat, who applied to work in an Irish hospital but did not disclose restrictions on doing so from the UK, has been confirmed by the High Court.

Dr Al-Zayyat must inform the council within seven days of her return to the Republic and complete a course in professional ethics, as well as paying for the costs of complying with these conditions.

Last November, the council’s fitness-to-practise committee found her guilty of professional misconduct.

The committee found Dr Al-Zayyat failed to disclose that strict conditions were attached to her continued practice by the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK when she applied for a post in Tallaght hospital in 2008.

She was required to notify the GMC if she applied for any job outside the UK and to notify any prospective employer of the conditions and restrictions on her practice.

Baby P’s death

The conditions attached by the British medical council arose from her examination of a 17-month-old child in the UK in 2007, in what is known as the “Baby P” case.

Dr Al-Zayyat was accused in the UK of failing to notice toddler Peter Connelly’s broken back and fractured ribs during an examination. The child, known as Baby P, died at his home in London two days later.

Baby P’s mother, her partner and her partner’s brother were jailed in 2008 for causing his death.

The doctor was voluntarily removed from the medical register by the GMC.

Dr Al-Zayyat, of Brookfield, Mullingar, Co Westmeath and also with an address in Essex, did not attend the Irish hearing. A barrister for the Medical Council told the inquiry it had been unable to contact her, despite extensive efforts.

She registered in Ireland with the Medical Council in July 2002 and worked here up to 2006. In 2007-2008, she worked at St Anne’s Hospital in London. In November 2008, she applied to Tallaght hospital for a post as a part-time locum consultant paediatrician with a special interest in community child health. The inquiry heard she did not state on her application the conditions attached to her registration.