Paediatrician David Southall struck off for accusing mother of killing 10-year-old son

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The paediatrician who accused the husband of the solicitor Sally Clark of murdering his children was struck off the medical register yesterday for suggesting to a mother that she might have drugged and murdered her 10-year-old son. David Southall, 59, was found guilty of misconduct by the General Medical Council’s Fitness to Practise panel. Its ruling came three years after Dr Southall was found guilty of serious professional misconduct over the Sally Clark accusation. After the verdict, Jacqueline Mitton, the chairwoman of the panel, told him: “Your multiple failings over an extended period caused the panel great concern. . . . in all the circumstances the panel has concluded that you have deep-seated attitudinal problems and that your misconduct is so serious that it is fundamentally incompatible with your continuing to be a registered medical practitioner.” Dr Southall did not react as the ruling was given. He now has 28 days to appeal. The verdict will cause unhappiness among many paediatricians who feel that Dr Southall has been subjected to a witch-hunt orchestrated by parents affected by his crusading zeal. He has been repeatedly referred to the GMC. Choosing her words carefully, Patricia Hamilton, the President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said that the college was “saddened and disappointed” by the judgment. “David Southall has made a major contribution to child health both nationally and internationally and has been a strong advocate for children during a distinguished career,” she said. “Sadly there are circumstances where parents may have harmed their children, and in these situations health professionals have a statutory duty to act on their concerns and look after the best interests of the child. This is clearly defined in the Government’s document Working Together to Safeguard Children. “We are very concerned that paediatricians and social workers will be deterred from undertaking child protection work, and that children and young people may come to harm.” Dr Southall has been a controversial figure for many years. He pioneered the use of covert video surveillance to identify children at risk of child abuse. This showed children aged 2 months and 44 months being deliberately injured in hospital by their parents or stepparents.