UK doctor shocks patient by offering to buy her baby

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 03 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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A UK GP (General Practitioner, Family Physician) was accused of trying to buy a seven-week-old baby from her parents. Health officials are investigating the incident.

An investigation has been started by a primary health care trust, following the complaint made by Adrian and Kelly Love to Staffordshire Police on Sunday.

The couple said the GP, who has not been named, suggested buying the child when the family visited a surgery near their home in Stoke-on-Trent (UK).

Police said they were not taking any action against the doctor, who is employed by the Newcastle-under-Lyme Primary Care Trust.

The incident has been referred to the General Medical Council (GMC).

The doctor at the centre of the allegations is part of the Basford-based Doctors Co-operative of North Staffordshire, which said it was conducting its own inquiries into the claims.

Chair of the co-operative Dr Prasad Rao said the doctor was continuing to practise, adding: 'I have not heard this doctor is suspended from any medical list and I'm not aware of anything untoward.'

Mrs Love told BBC Midlands Today: 'He (the doctor) turned round and said to me: 'You hand your baby over to me - money no object - I am very wealthy man, you sell your baby to me.'

'My first reaction was no.'

Internal inquires

When she was asked if she could have misunderstood the doctor, Mrs Love said: 'No - it was clear as day. You could hear every word of what he said.

'I thought what sort of doctor is he? He's supposed to be doing a job and he's turning round and offering me money for my baby.'

A spokeswoman for Newcastle-under-Lyme Primary Care Trust said: 'We take the allegations which have been made very seriously.

'We will be conducting our own inquiries as well as working closely with the GP's co-operative at Basford and the General Medical Council into any investigations which are carried out.'

Unusual complaint

Sergeant Paul Trevor from Stoke-on-Trent police said: 'On Sunday 1 February, a complaint was made regarding a seven-week-old child who was taken to a surgery in Basford, Stoke-on-Trent.

'A doctor was alleged to have made an offer to buy the baby from the parents.

'Stoke-on-Trent CID have liaised with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding this matter and after further liaising with the family the matter will be referred to the General Medical Council.

'The police will take no further action unless the matter is referred back from the GMC.'

In a statement, the GMC said: 'This is a very unusual complaint.

'The GMC takes allegations of this nature very seriously.

'On receipt of the information from the police, we shall study it very carefully and we shall review what action needs to be taken.'