- Written by Maria McCann
- BBC News NI
Dr Michael Watt worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital as a neurologist
A lawyer for a doctor at the center of Northern Ireland’s biggest patient recall has quit his hearing practice due to his newfound fitness.
Michael Watt’s legal representative said: “We are concerned about his serious mental health.”
They told the medical tribunal that continuing the hearing in public “posed a significant risk to his mental health”.
A new fitness program to practice hearing has started in September.
The defense team also formally withdrew its application to the court to have Michael Watt removed from his medical records.
This followed a High Court ruling earlier this year that overturned the decision by which he had previously been voluntarily removed from his medical records.
The previous hearing was held behind closed doors, but the new hearing is now open to the public.
Defense attorneys said they were not prepared to represent him at the hearing in the interest of both Michael Watt and the public.
“Public Interest in Speedy Trial”
“Dr Watt understands that this matter may continue unchallenged in his absence,” public defender Matthew McDonagh said at the hearing.
Charles Garside KC, head of the General Medical Council (GMC), said the tribunal could be confident that the lawyers who withdrew had had “appropriate and necessary discussions with Dr Watt before making their decision”.
He said doctors had “made the decision with full advice and knowledge” of the possible consequences.
Mr Garside said the commission should consider fairness to practitioners, the public and the GMC.
“The public interest requires that these proceedings be processed as expeditiously as possible,” he said.
He suggested that Dr Watt himself should send a letter to the committee detailing how he could participate in the hearing, but said there was “no way to force him to do so if he did not wish to do so”. .
The court decided to continue hearing the case in his absence.
It then heard evidence from the doctors involved in Dr Watt’s original competency assessment.
“There is nothing inconsistent with the assessment.”
Dr Paul Wilson was asked whether Dr Watt had asked him if he felt well enough to proceed with the test.
He replied: “My habit is to ask the doctor if your health is good enough to proceed with the diagnostic process, and the answer was positive.”
Asked if there was anything that made him think Dr. Watt was unfit, Dr. Wilson said, “Absolutely not.”
GMC lawyers said before the committee retired: “There is nothing inconsistent with the assessment made by the professional valuers in this matter.”
“I respectfully submit that…the handicap of not having him here and not being represented is greatly reduced and he has been represented so far.”
The hearing will consider whether Dr. Watt’s fitness to practice is impaired by a “lack of professional performance” following a performance review that found his practice unacceptable in five areas. .
The tribunal is hearing allegations that Michael Watt had his standards of professional competence assessed by the General Medical Council between 7 and 22 October 2018.
It is alleged that its performance was unacceptable in the areas of professional performance maintenance, assessment, clinical management, record keeping and patient relations.
