That was the view of consultant gynaecologist Sean Duffy, the senior lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology at Leeds University, who was being cross-examined by Crown Advocate Howard Sharp in the tenth day of the trial of Dolores Moyano Ontiveros.
Dr Moyano is charged with the manslaughter of staff nurse Elizabeth Rourke, who died following a routine operation, known as a hysteroscopy, carried out on 17 October 2006.
Mr Duffy agreed that being operated on by an incompetent surgeon fell below any standard of care and agreed that some surgical procedures, including a resection such as the one undergone by Mrs Rourke, could be fatal if not performed properly. Advocate Sharp continued: ‘Well, it must follow that a person not competent at resection should never attempt it.’
The defence have now closed their case and both sides are expected to begin summing up their evidence today.
