'Arrogant' GP accused over patient deaths

The "reckless" approach of Dr Howard Martin was said to have left some relatives "deeply distressed" that their loved ones had died prematurely.

Dr Martin, 75, was acquitted by a jury in 2005 of murdering three of those patients, Frank Moss, 59, Stanley Weldon, 74 and Harry Gittins, 74.

Three men were patients of the doctor when he was a partner at the Jubilee Medical Group which had surgeries in Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Eldon, all in County Durham.

The General Medical Council (GMC) alleges the injections administered to the 18 patients – who were either terminally ill or very frail – were inappropriate and irresponsible.

Dr Martin did not attend the Fitness to Practise hearing in Manchester yesterday and indicated in a letter from his solicitor that he had no intention of doing so.

He said he was not prepared to travel from his home in North Wales because his wife, aged in her late 80s, was in poor health and he saw no "practical consequences" for him whatever the outcome as he had retired and did not wish to work in medicine again.

Rebecca Poulet QC, opening the case for the GMC, said the hearing concerned the deaths of the patients between 1994 and 2004.

"It is the case of the General Medical Council that each of these patients was visited by their GP, Dr Howard Martin, shortly before death," Mrs Poulet said. "In each case he administered what we say was an inappropriate and irresponsible dose of morphine sulphate or diamorphine.

"He did so without proper assessment of their condition and without adequate record-keeping of his actions.

"There is no suggestion in these cases that Dr Martin was motivated by greed or malice but it is our case that he was arrogant and single-minded when treating the terminally ill.

"This attitude can be properly described at the very least as a reckless approach to the treatment of his patients.

"In some cases his treatment left the relatives of the deceased deeply distressed in the clear belief that they had been taken more quickly than if the disease had taken its natural course."

She added that in each of the cases his conduct displayed "repeating themes".

Dr Martin must have known the inappropriate administering of large doses of controlled drugs risked serious injury or death, she said.

His assessment of their condition beforehand was "inadequate", as was his lack of communication with local Macmillan Cancer Support teams.

He also was said to have failed to comply with regulations in updating patients' GP records and in some cases made "ill-founded statements" in relation to the cause of death.

Dr Martin was cleared of three counts of murder following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

Earlier, he was arrested at his surgery by police who removed files and computer equipment following a complaint from the family of Mr Gittins.

The practitioner was then charged with his murder before exhumations of three people, including Mr Moss and Mr Weldon, were carried out at separate cemeteries.

The hearing continues today.