No action to be taken against Peterborough City Hospital doctor arrested over two patient deaths

Posted On:   16 July 2018

Peterborough, UK – 11th June, 2018: Dr Andy Gregg (48) was arrested on suspicion of gross negligent manslaughter on March 15 last year and was on police bail. The consultant anaesthetist was being investigated over allegations he “inappropriately hastened the death of patients in his care,” allegations he strenuously denied.

Dr Gregg’s bail was due to end tomorrow (Tuesday, June 12), but a police spokeswoman said: “Following a thorough investigation and seeking advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, no further action will be taken and the 48-year-old man is no longer required to answer bail tomorrow (June 12). “The matter will be referred to the General Medical Council (GMC).”

Dr Gregg remains the subject of an investigation by the GMC, but the organisation said it could not provide any further details at this time as to what the investigation is for. The anaesthetist was previously suspended from practising by the GMC, but that suspension has been lifted until November 11, 2018 with conditions while the investigation continues.

Details of Dr Gregg’s arrest and the previous allegations against him came to light in March this year due to a High Court ruling.

The court ruled the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the city hospital, could not stop paying him and could not continue with its own disciplinary procedures into the deaths of both patients before the Crown Prosecution Service decided whether to charge Dr Gregg in connection with the deaths.

Dr Gregg has been employed at the hospital since September 2003.

Dr Kanchan Rege, medical director at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We can confirm that Dr Andrew Gregg is employed by our trust and has been subject to a police investigation through the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit. “While it has been confirmed that no criminal charges have been brought, investigations are still being carried out by the General Medical Council and there is an internal procedure to follow within the trust.

“Dr Gregg will not return to work at this time.” The High Court ruling stated that on January 4, 2016, a 41-year-old man with acute myeloid leukaemia, who Dr Gregg was the consultant for, died two hours after receiving increased dosages for sedative and a pain-killer.

A second patient suffered a serious heart attack in 2013. He was sedated and died within four hours 30 minutes of being passed into Dr Gregg’s care.

In August 2017, the police notified the trust that they were investigating a further five cases involving Dr Gregg, but the investigation has now ended with no charges.

Source: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/crime/no-action-to-be-taken-against-peterborough-city-hospital-doctor-arrested-over-two-patient-deaths-1-8529848