A senior doctor of Indian origin is being investigated by police for neglecting her duty, after ambulance staff complained that she had not attempted to resuscitate a pensioner.
Dr Shanta Dhar has been arrested and questioned by police after a coroner ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Joan Board, 78, in December.
Detectives arrested Dr Dhar, 70, on Sunday on suspicion of negligence, malfeasance and perverting the course of justice.
Confirming the arrest, a police spokeswoman said, "A 70-year-old woman was arrested on Friday last, in connection with the inquiry. She was interviewed at a northeast London police station and later released on bail."
"She was arrested on suspicion of negligence, malfeasance in a public office and perverting the course of justice. CID at Enfield are investigating and they will pass a report to the coroner in due course," the spokeswoman added.
However, Dr Dhar has been granted bail but has been banned from examining patients on her own.
Board had collapsed at her North London home on December 2 during a house visit by Dr Dhar, who is a senior partner at the Willow House surgery.
The doctor phoned for an ambulance. Despite paramedics carrying out ardiopulmonary resuscitation, Board died on the way to the hospital. Post-mortem examination revealed that she had died due to heart disease.
At Hornsey Coroner's Court in London on Wednesday last, Andrew Walker, the coroner, ordered an investigation into her death after complaints from the London Ambulance Service and from Board's family.
Ambulance personnel believe if the CPR had been administered earlier, Board would have had a better chance of survival.
London Ambulance Service said that it had been called at 1440 hrs local time on December 2 to Board's home in Enfield.
"The patient was experiencing breathing difficulties. A fast-response vehicle and an ambulance were sent out. They made attempts to resuscitate this patient at the scene and en route to the hospital," the spokesman added.
A spokesman for Hornsey Coroner's Court confirmed that complaints had also been received from Board's family.
Dr Dhar, who was registered as a doctor in September 1970 and received her first medical qualification at Vikram University, Madhya Pradesh, India, in 1959, could not be contacted for comment.
The British Medical Association said that it could not comment on the case.
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