A DOCTOR has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct for failing to send a woman with cancer for urgent tests.

Dr Nabil Naroz, from Hett Hill, Chester-le-Street, had been accused by the General Medical Council (GMC) of failing to act in the interests of patient June Davidson, 62, from South Tyneside, who died from cancer of the uterus in 1998.

On Wednesday last week the medical council heard how in August 1997 Mrs Davidson visited locum GP Dr Alan Hill at the Trinity Medical Centre in South Shields, who diagnosed cancer and referred her for urgent tests.

But Dr Naroz overruled the instruction and instead arranged a smear test, despite the fact that she was displaying common symptoms of cancer.

She was admitted to South Tyneside District Hospital after severe bleeding and later discharged with advice to see her GP. But Dr Naroz again failed to refer her.

Dr Naroz eventually referred her to a gynaecologist in January the following year with a letter market 'routine not urgent.'

Specialists diagnosed cancer and she died in July 1998.

A consultant gynaecologist who eventually treated her, told the council she 'died knowing she should have been referred at an early stage.'

Dr Naroz was cautioned for his conduct, but not banned from practising as a GP on the grounds it was not in the public interest.

Speaking after the case her widower, Alan Davidson, who now lives in Oxfordshire, criticised the three year delay in bringing the case forward, which cost him £3,000 in legal fees.

Father-of-three Mr Davidson, who had been married to June for 40 years said: "The whole thing has been a complete and utter disgrace. It has taken three years to get to this stage. What was the delay?"

The GMC accepted Mrs Davidson's death was not caused by his failings, but said they fell 'seriously short of standards expected from a general practitioner.'

Dr Naroz apologised to Mr Davidson. He said: "Personally I'm not fit to see Mr Davidson and always thought there would be a confrontation rather than a discussion if I did so. I accept full responsibility for the errors I made and wish to apologise to Mr Davidson."

He explained the whole episode had caused him 'enormous stress.'

Mr Hani Fawzi, consultant gynaecologist at South Tyneside Hospital said an early referral may not have made a difference because Mrs Davidson was suffering a highly aggressive form of cancer.