Metro has published an apology and agreed to pay libel damages and costs to a doctor for a story it published in 2007.
Plavelil George sued over a piece published in the 27 April 2007 edition of the Associated Newspapers free morning paper.
The report on General Medical Council proceedings was accompanied by the headline: “Shifts row consultant ‘shut ward'”.
An apology printed on page nine of today’s paper read: “We stated that in 2001 Dr George, then a consultant at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, ordered closure of a children’s ward in protest at having to cover for a junior doctor.
“We also reported that he refused to treat and sent home a boy who was plainly very ill with what turned out to be meningococcal septicaemia.”
It added: “We now accept that Dr George did not order closure of the ward nor did he refuse to treat the boy and it was not inappropriate to send him home.
“Moreover Dr George has not faced charges of professional misconduct before the GMC.
“We apologise to Dr George for any distress caused and have agreed to pay him damages and costs.”
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