Doctor 'under the influence' at fatal call-outs

Devendra Narayanaswamy failed to provide a breath test when he was taken to a police station

A police medical examiner who responded to a fatal crash and a suspected suicide while under the influence of alcohol has been suspended.

Dr Devendra Narayanaswamy drank "half to three quarters of a bottle of wine" with lunch before a night shift.

He was breathalysed and found to be over the limit, but failed to provide a second sample when taken to a police station.

A tribunal suspended Dr Narayanaswamy for three months.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing was told that in August 2019 he bought a KFC and a bottle of wine for his lunch between two on-call shifts as a medical examiner for Derbyshire Police.

While giving evidence to the tribunal, he was asked: "You consumed something between half and three quarters of a bottle of wine?"

He replied: "I didn't measure, I remember some wine was left. I didn't finish it all.

"I thought I would be ready for work if I had a good sleep. I didn't think about the units and how long it was going to last."

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Several hours later, he was called out to the fatal crash, followed by the suspected suicide - to carry out examinations and confirm death.

On arrival at the second job he was breathalysed and found to be over the limit.

He was taken to a police station to undergo a second breathalyser sample, but did not provide one, claiming he was too anxious to properly complete the test.

This led to him being convicted in September 2019 of failing to provide a breath test without a reasonable excuse, for which he was handed a £440 fine and a 12-month driving ban.

The father-of-two admitted to the tribunal that he had driven and worked under the influence and recognised this was "serious misconduct".

'Stupid'

The General Medical Council said the misconduct and criminal conviction meant the tribunal should submit a finding of impairment.

But Dr Narayanaswamy's lawyer, Vivienne Tanchel, said: "The public interest is not served by a finding of impairment.

"He has shown full insight into his failings.

"He accepts what he did and what he ought to have done. He was stupid, to use the words he used."

She added that he had attended a driving awareness course and not drunk alcohol in more than a year.

Tribunal chair Kim Parsons said: "We make a finding of current impairment on the basis of maintaining public confidence and maintaining proper standards."

The tribunal sanctioned Dr Narayanaswamy to a three-month suspension because the clinician's "fitness to practise is impaired by reason of misconduct and conviction".

His suspension will take effect 28 days after the conclusion of the tribunal.