Doctor suspended over medical negligence

A doctor from Cumbernauld has been suspended from duty for three months following the death of an 8 year old from asthma.

Dr Julie Mallon, 38, was found guilty of reduced charges of acting inappropriately, irresponsibly and not in the patient’s best interests.

Owen Hynes was taken to the Central Health Centre by his mother on 19 August 2002 as he was having a severe asthma attack. Dr Mallon, it is reported, interpreted this as an anxiety attack and therefore did not give the boy the correct treatment and sent him home shortly afterwards.
Owen died less than two hours later after returning to the surgery.

Medical experts found that had Owen’s symptoms been correctly identified and treated he would not have died.