Further medical ban for drink-drive doctor
A suspended doctor caught more than three times over the drink drive limit 30 minutes after finishing work has been banned for another nine months after failing to attend a review hearing into her case.
Dr Ileana Bartha was stopped by police less than eight miles away from Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital when an officer spotted a front wheel 'hanging off' her car after a collision.
Sgt Mark Roger, of Staffordshire Police, who stopped the car, spotted two empty vodka bottles and an almost empty bottle of brandy inside.
Bartha had finished work at the hospital, where she worked as a junior locum, at 12.40am on January 20 last year.
She pleaded guilty to drink driving at Cannock Magistrates Court in February last year and was disqualified from driving for 25 months and ordered to pay £85 costs.
Despite finding her conduct 'deplorable' at a fitness to practise hearing in May, the panel decided to suspend the doctor for four months to allow her to provide evidence she had learned her lesson.
But she failed to attend a review hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester on Friday, and the panel decided to extend her ban for another nine months.
The panel had asked for confirmation that there have been no further offences, a health assessment from her GP and evidence that she had shown insight into her behaviour. Panel chair
Gill Mullen said: "The panel considered that in order to find Dr Bartha no longer impaired it would require evidence of remediation, insight and engagement with the GMC.
"It also noted that none of the evidence requested by the previous fitness to practise panel has been provided."
The hearing in May was told that Dr Bartha had probably been involved in a collision with something 'quite substantial' and her car was unsafe to drive.
