A POWYS doctor has avoided being struck off the medical register after a tribunal found her guilty of medical misconduct.

Dr Sarah Myhill, from Knighton, who practices privately, was found to have breached multiple rules, including the promotion of inappropriate treatments for Covid-19.

But she was suspended for nine months after the General Medical Council (GMC) said it would “deprive the public of an otherwise good doctor with over 30 years’ experience."

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The hearing which was held in Manchester, was told Dr Myhill would not engage with the process and recently indicated to the General Medical Council (GMC) that she would "shred" anything that she receives in relation to it.

Evidence given to the tribunal found the doctor had been treating patients with a variety of medication that was unsuitable. One patient was taken off their prescribed thyroid medication and was instead over-prescribed an “internet-sourced pig thyroid extract” called PTE.

In another instance, the patient was treated with the drug Valaciclovir for genital herpes even though they did not have the condition and were given too high a dose to be effective.

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They were also given Vitamin B12 injections – even though there was a “lack of biochemical, physiological and clinical evidence for rationale for the use of daily Vitamin B12 in the context used.”

Dr Myhill was also found to have not properly attended to a patient who experienced a fall in April 2020.

She failed to diagnose the patient “had a possible fractured hip that required immediate management", the tribunal found.

She also did not “indicate the need for an ambulance” but instead administered “without clinical justification” an anti-inflammatory - prednisolone, a relaxant - diazepam, and recommended a Keto (high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate) diet.

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Most seriously though, Dr Myhill was found to have been promoting the use of dubious Covid treatments at the height of the pandemic.

According to the tribunal Dr Myhill’s actions risked patient safety and the products she was promoting online were unlicensed, not “universally safe” to be used in the way she advised, were unproven in terms of their benefits, and risked public health by exposing “patients to potential serious harm, including toxicity," the tribunal was told.

Dr Myhilll’s actions were judged by officials on the tribunal to have “the potential to undermine public confidence in the medical profession” citing her advice published on her website against the use of face masks and vaccinations.

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The tribunal said Dr Myhill’s conduct fell “seriously below the standards expected of a doctor and represented serious breaches of the principles of General Medical Practice.”

In relation to striking her name off the medical register, the tribunal concluded that Dr Myhill’s behaviour to be “fundamentally incompatible with continued registration” – not falling into the categories of serious offending such as sexual, dishonest or violent misconduct.

The tribunal determined to suspend Dr Myhill’s registration for a period of nine months and to impose an immediate order of suspension to cover the 28-day appeal period. It also directed a review hearing should take place.