On 5 May 2010, David Southall won his appeal against a GMC
finding that he accused a mother of murdering her son and a ruling
striking him off the medical register. On the same day, the GMC
announced it was establishing a working group to produce new
guidance for paediatricians working in child protection.
Briefly, the case against Dr Southall arose after he had been
asked by a County Council to provide an independent report relating
to the safety of the surviving son of Mrs M, from Shropshire.
In December 2007, a GMC panel found that his actions had caused
additional distress to the mother, whose 10 year old boy hanged
himself in 1996.
Dr Southall pursued legal action following the GMC panel
decision to strike him off the register. He denied ever accusing
Mrs M of murder or conducting the interview with her in an
aggressive and hostile manner. The decision was overturned by the
Court of Appeal on the basis that the panel had failed to give
adequate reasons over
