GP who missed cancer allowed to practise

A GP who failed to spot the symptoms of deadly cervical cancer in a young woman has been allowed to continue practising as a doctor.

Nicola Sams, 26, complained of abdominal pain and irregular bleeding over a five-year period. An internal examination was never carried out and Miss Sams died after the disease spread.

The General Medical Council said Dr Shankar's misconduct put patient safety at risk and found his fitness to practise was impaired. He was permitted to continue working as a GP subject to conditions - despite a ruling that he fell "seriously short" of expected standards.

The panel found Dr Shankar failed to record all of Miss Sams's complaints or keep adequate records of her visits to his surgery during this time.

Dr Shankar, who worked at the Wigmore Lane Health Centre in Luton, Bedforshire, was suspended for serious professional misconduct after examining an infant in September 2003.

The little boy's right foot was dark blue and cold to the touch, but Shankar sent him home, saying his nappy was too tight. The baby was later admitted to the Luton and Dunstable Hospital where he was found to have lost about 30 per cent of his birth weight and diagnosed with a potentially fatal brain condition.

Miss Sams' father Mike told ITV News: "We're very very shocked at this news that he's still potentially able to practise maybe a couple of years down the line. Having been with Nikki until the end of her tender life was very traumatic and I dread to think if anybody had to go what I went through."