Dr Sharon Oates (56), a senior gynaecologist, who was responsible for the delivery of an infant who died two days after will not be facing any action for allegedly telling the parents, “You should smoke 50 cigarettes a day so you can have a smaller baby” and the baby was “never coming out of that little bottom”.
Dr Oates had made these remarks after Jenson Barnett was born, who died after suffering from a fractured skull in an attempted forceps delivery, at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, Manchester, said Oates had made an “error of judgement” regarding the delivery but it fell short of misconduct. The tribunal also accepted that her comments were an “attempt at humour”.
