Doctor missed epilepsy condition
Dr De Villiers has accepted his deficiencies in the case
A disabled epileptic patient died following \"deficiencies\" in a doctor's out-of-hours consultation, a Wiltshire inquest has heard.
Andrew Dodson, 36, suffered a seizure at his home in Penhill, Swindon, shortly after complaining of a severe stomach bug on 21 April 2007.
The hearing at Trowbridge Town Hall heard he had been prescribed an anti-nausea drug by Dr David De Villiers.
Coroner David Masters recorded a narrative verdict on Mr Dodson.
Mr Dodson was suffering from sickness and diarrhoea for 15 hours before his family contacted the Clover Centre in the Great Western Hospital.
Pre-existing condition
Dr De Villiers told the inquest at Trowbridge Town Hall he was too busy for a proper consultation when he prescribed the anti-nausea drug Buccastem to Mr Dodson.
He did offer the alternatives of a home visit or the option for Mr Dodson to come into hospital.
Dr De Villiers advised Mr Dodson's father that his son should take fluids and that he would fax a prescription for Buccastem to a supermarket pharmacy and that this would stop the vomiting and diarrhoea and prevent dehydration.
Before recording a narrative verdict, Wiltshire coroner David Masters said: \"What Dr De Villiers doesn't do is ask about any pre-existing condition in Andrew.
\"He therefore doesn't learn as clearly he should have done about Andrew's pre-existing epileptic condition.
\"Neither does he ask about what medication Andrew is on despite being told he is on medication.
\"Dr De Villiers doesn't advise as to what the family should do if Andrew's condition changed or worsened and very fairly and frankly, Dr De Villiers accepts those deficiencies.
\"He should have known he suffered from epilepsy because it might have been relevant.\"
from
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7725549.stm
