A surgeon who went home while his patient was rapidly losing blood has been banned from practising.

The case against Willem Bijl, a former consultant urologist at Basildon Hospital, was found proved by the General Medical Council.

The Council ruled his behaviour was "inappropriate and irresponsible".

Mary Love, 61, of Pilgrims Lane, Grays, died from complications after Mr Bijl performed keyhole surgery to remove a large kidney stone.

Following the operation on July 2, 1996, she was still bleeding heavily when Mr Bijl went home.

Despite an emergency operation by another surgeon to remove her kidney and stop the haemorrhaging following the initial surgery, Mrs Love died two days later from a shock to the system caused by blood loss.

Mr Bijl, 56, of Hackmans Road, Cock Clarks, near Chelmsford, showed no emotion as the GMC informed him of its decision to strike him off the register with immediate effect at a hearing on Saturday.

Unless Mr Bijl exercises his right of appeal his name will be erased in 28 days time.

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