THE doctor charged in the Hospital manslaughter trial told her superior that she did not want to be left alone to perform operations.
According to Dolores Moyano Ontiveros’s witness statement, which was read out in court on Friday, she had told gynaecologist John Day that she did not want him to leave her alone to perform operations on 17 October 2006.
That was the day that staff nurse Elizabeth Rourke died, following complications during a routine hysteroscopy operation conducted by Dr Moyano after she had been left alone by Mr Day. She is due to give evidence in the trial this week, but on Friday her statements – given to the authorities on 8 November 2006 – were read out at the Assize trial in the Royal Court.
The statement said: ‘I repeated that I did not want to do procedures alone and he said it would be fine.’ Dr Moyano also said in her statement that she thought she might at least take a sample of tissue from Mrs Rourke during the procedure, as if she didn’t, Mrs Rourke would have to go through the whole procedure again. She added in her statement that if it were a complex polyp, she would not have proceeded with it. The trial continues resumes tomorrow.
