A DOCTOR accused of serious failings in the treatment of infant patients has had a number of claims against him upheld by a tribunal.

A total of 17 allegations against Dr Saeed Nashoor Ghanim were found to be proven, while 38 were not.

All of the claims related to his former job as a consultant paediatrician at the scandal-hit Furness General Hospital in Barrow where 11 babies and one mother died between January 1, 2004, and June 30, 2013.

The doctor could face being struck off as a panel is currently deciding whether Dr Ghanim's fitness to practice is impaired by reason of misconduct.

In the case of tragic Dalton baby Amelia Bower, who passed away at the hospital hours after her birth on April 3, 2011, the tribunal concluded that Dr Ghanim, 59, incorrectly interpreted from blood gas results that her condition was improving.

In reality, Amelia's condition was not getting better and the tribunal found that Dr Ghanim was 'wrongly reassured that the patient was improving when evidence suggested otherwise' before he went home from the hospital.

As a result of Dr Ghanim's misinterpretation of the blood gas results, the tribunal also found that he had failed to arrange for more vital blood gas results to be taken an hour later.

The 33-page report on Dr Ghanim also found that he had not arranged for Amelia, despite her serious condition, to go to a specialist tertiary centre to be treated.

Furness General is only a Level 1 hospital and the tribunal panel heard how Dr Ghanim did not want to refer her to a more specialist centre, despite two nurses advising him to do so.

The report reads: "You made a decision not to seek advice from a tertiary centre despite the concern voiced openly by your colleagues."

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It is also outlined in the report that Dr Ghanim failed to keep Amelia's parents, Kelly Hine and Carl Bower, adequately informed about the condition of their child, leading them to believe that their child's condition was improving.

A panel is currently deciding whether or not Dr Ghanim will be struck off.