Cottenham man calls for anaesthetic review after wife’s death

“It’s easy to say I’m angry, that’s everyone’s first and obvious response, but I am baffled and bemused,” said Mr Gibson, from Cottenham, Cambridgeshire.

He previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry on a project on drug safety and medical labelling and said he knew “how strict they are with everything”.

“So to see how little or no documentation is needed with the administration of a local anaesthetic in surgery with a drug known to be toxic and to cause cardiac arrest – I find the whole thing baffling,” he said.

“We now know that there are major problems with basic record keeping, training, handover notes and communication.”

Mr Barlow asked the RCOA to examine existing practices and see if improvements could be made, after it was revealed similar practices to those which occurred in Dr Gibson’s operation were used nationally.

Mr Gibson wants the college to issue guidance on this to its members, but also for the General Medical Council and the Care Quality Commission, who can mandate those changes, to work with the college to implement its guidance.