Baby P doctor waits for decision on return to work

A GP who failed to spot Baby P was suffering abuse will learn today whether he can return to practice after serving a year's suspension.

The General Medical Council suspended Dr Jerome Ikwueke for 12 months in July last year for a series of failures in his care of the toddler.

Dr Ikwueke, 64, noted that the little boy had changed from his usual happy self, seemed "withdrawn" and pulled away when he saw him for the last time on July 26 2007.

The doctor breached his professional duty towards the child in not carrying out a full examination, making an urgent referral for further checks or sharing information with a health visitor or social workers, a GMC disciplinary panel ruled.

Baby P - now named as Peter Connelly - died in Tottenham, north London, eight days after the consultation aged just 17 months old.

As the family GP, Dr Ikwueke saw Peter at his north London surgery at least 14 times in the months before his death.

The GMC panel ruled there were "serious" failings to prioritise the toddler's welfare in the doctor's care.

But the committee decided to suspend Dr Ikwueke rather than strike him off the medical register after concluding he did not pose a risk to patients and had taken steps to remedy issues identified through the Baby P case.

A GMC review panel sitting in London will today rule on whether he can resume practising as a doctor.

Peter suffered 50 injuries despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police over the final eight months of his life.

His mother Tracey Connelly, her boyfriend Steven Barker and his brother Jason Owen were jailed at the Old Bailey in May 2009 for causing or allowing his death.