Tribunal suspends physician who failed to order spinal MRI

A U.K. medical tribunal has issued a seven-month suspension order to an emergency medicine doctor who did not request a spinal MRI scan to rule out cauda equina syndrome in a patient.

In a hearing that concluded on 2 August 2024, the Medical Practitioners Tribunals Service (MPTS) found that in July 2018 and May 2021, Dr. Atila Morlocan failed to provide good clinical care to Patient A and Patient D, respectively. It also ruled that between January 2019 and February 2022, Morlocan was dishonest when providing written and oral evidence to an inquest into Patient A's death.

The initial concerns were raised with the U.K. General Medical Council (GMC) in March 2020 by "Ms C," who was Patient A's daughter, MPTS stated.

Morlocan, who is currently an advisory board member of AI Forum (see bio), qualified in 2012 from Titu Maiorescu University of Bucharest, Romania, with an MD in General Medicine. He moved to the U.K. in 2014 and was employed at Epsom and St. Helier University National Health Service (NHS) Trust, south of London, as a clinical fellow in the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E).

At the time of the events investigated by the tribunal, he was practicing as a specialty doctor in A&E at the Epsom and St. Helier NHS Trust. Morlocan allegedly did not provide good clinical care to Patient A because he failed to obtain an adequate history and carry out an adequate assessment on 28 July 2018, and in diagnosing sciatica, he failed to rule out significant alternative differential diagnoses. Also, he did not make an adequate record of the consultation, and he prescribed diazepam at too high a dose, noted the allegation outlined by the MPTS.

In a consultation with the same patient on 31 July 2018, Morlocan allegedly failed to record that he had prescribed Tramadol, Patient A had discharged himself against medical advice, and he had discussed with Patient A the safety of driving home after taking morphine. In addition, he is said to have inappropriately prescribed fentanyl patches and failed to provide adequate safety netting advice with respect to the prescription.

On the same day, Morlocan inappropriately paid for the prescription. This charge was admitted and found proved, noted the MPTS.

On 24 May 2021, he consulted with Patient D and allegedly did not provide good clinical care. Although the patient had bilateral leg symptoms, Morlocan failed to consider possible cauda equina syndrome, failed to arrange for Patient D to have an urgent MRI scan of her spine, and failed to refer Patient D for specialist assessment.

The tribunal determined that Morlocan's fitness to practice is currently impaired. It stated that a review hearing should take place before the end of the period of suspension. The suspension is not yet in force, pending an appeal period.

The U.K. issued new guidance on imaging of cauda equina syndrome in early 2023.