Foreign doctor who killed patient with drug overdose is struck off

Nigerian-born Dr Daniel Ubani flew into the UK from Germany and injected David Gray, 70, with 100mg of a pain relief drug – 10 times the recommended dosage.

Mr Gray, who was suffering from kidney stones, died at his home in Manea, Cambridgeshire, a few hours after he was given the massive overdose of diamorphine on February 16 2008.

A General Medical Council Fitness to Practise Panel concluded it had "grave concerns" about Dr Ubani's clinical competence in his treatment of three patients on that date and warned there was a risk of him repeating his errors. Yesterday, the panel ruled that a period of suspension was not sufficient in the case.

Panel chairman Dr Brian Alderman said: "In all the circumstances, the panel is satisfied that erasure is the only means of protecting patients and maintaining public confidence in the profession."

Dr Ubani, 67, a specialist in cosmetic medicine based in Germany, admitted causing the pensioner's death after confusing the morphine with another drug.

He was given a nine-month suspended sentence in Germany for death by negligence but still worked as a doctor in that country, the GMC panel heard.

The doctor – who did not attend the disciplinary hearing in Manchester-remains free to continuing practising in his home country.

Dr Ubani had failed a language test with the NHS in Leeds and was rejected by health chiefs, but then passed a less strenuous test in Cornwall

The GMC also looked at Dr Ubani's treatment of two other patients on the same day – Sandra Banks, 59, who was given the wrong medication for a migraine, and Iris Edwards, 86, who was found dead in her care home a few hours after he treated her.

Dr Ubani had flown into the UK the day before and only had a few hours sleep before starting a 12-hour shift, the panel heard.

He was working for SuffDoc, part of the out-of-hours GP service provider Take Care Now, for 45 an hour.

The evening before he started the shift, he was given several hours' training on the firm's computer system at its headquarters in Colchester, Essex.

He was also given an induction by a doctor, who gave him a sheet listing all of the available drugs and for which illnesses to administer them. That doctor expressed concerns that Dr Ubani had no experience of working for the NHS, did not know the area, and that he did not have enough time to properly train him.

But his report was not read until two days after Mr Gray's death.

The vials of medicine given to Dr Ubani were all the same size – 10mg – except for the diamorphine, which was in a 100mg tube, the panel heard.

Before visiting Mr Gray, Dr Ubani went to the home of Ms Banks, who was suffering from a migraine.

He injected her with painkillers, which made her condition worse.

After seeing Mr Gray, Dr Ubani went to visit Ms Edwards at her care home in Ely, Cambridgeshire. She was not sent to hospital even though her heart was racing and she had low blood pressure, and she later died of a heart attack.

The panel concluded that Dr Ubani made "recurrent mistakes" with all three patients and was guilty of misconduct.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said out-of-hours care needed urgent reform.

"In addition, I am working closely with the GMC to ensure that foreign healthcare professionals are not allowed to work in the NHS unless they have proven their competence."