Milton Keynes Hospital doctor suspended over childbirth consent failures
A Buckinghamshire gynaecologist has been suspended for three weeks for her actions surrounding the births of two babies.
Dr Premila Thampi, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist with nearly three decades of experience, was found to have committed misconduct in her care of two patients during deliveries in 2016 and 2018.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) ruled that her actions amounted to impaired fitness to practise, after she failed to adequately communicate and obtain consent during two childbirths.
The most serious findings related to Patient A, who was in labour in October 2016.
The tribunal found that Dr Thampi proceeded with a forceps delivery despite the patient’s clearly expressed preference against the instrument and without properly explaining the change in method or obtaining informed consent.
The panel concluded this was a serious failure in communication and consent, particularly in the high-pressure environment of labour.
During the same delivery, the tribunal found that Dr Thampi made inappropriate remarks, including: “You need to let me do this as I don’t know what is going to happen to your baby.”
The panel described this as ‘poorly judged and likely to be frightening to a woman in labour,’ noting that it created undue pressure on the patient.
In a separate case involving Patient B in June 2018, the tribunal found that Dr Thampi used an excessive number of vacuum extraction attempts—more than three times—before switching to forceps.
The panel concluded that this exceeded safe practice guidelines and risked harm to the baby.
However, other allegations relating to Patient C and a racially inappropriate comment during an appraisal were not proven.
The tribunal accepted that Dr Thampi had no previous fitness to practise concerns and had provided long-standing service to the NHS.
She is currently appealing the tribunal’s decision, and in the meantime remains free to practise without restrictions.
Dr Thampi worked at Milton Keynes University Hospital from 2010 to 2020 and, according to tribunal records, has since worked as a locum consultant elsewhere in the NHS.
The tribunal concluded that the failures, particularly around consent and patient communication, were serious enough to warrant a temporary suspension to uphold public trust in the profession.