THE private company which hired a foreign doctor who accidentally gave a patient a lethal overdose while working as a locum had an NHS contract terminated early.

THE private company which hired a foreign doctor who accidentally gave a patient a lethal overdose while working as a locum had an NHS contract terminated early.

Take Care Now (TCN) - which fills shifts and organises cover for weekend and evening GP services in the region - has been monitored by the NHS since the death of David Gray, 70, in February 2008.

Mr Gray died after he was administered ten times too much painkiller by Dr Daniel Ubani, a locum doctor from Germany, and he was employed by NHS Cambridgeshire.

NHS Cambridgeshire today said it became "dissatisfied" with progress of the company and terminated TCN's contract. TCN is also responsible for the out of hours care for NHS Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

A spokesman from NHS Cambridgeshire said that since the Mr Gray's death, the NHS had carried out 20 unannounced inspections and 13 unannounced spot checks to assess the company's safety and performance.

After Mr Gray's death, TCN became subject to an enquiry by the national NHS watchdog the Care and Quality Commission. A report of its findings is due to be released early next year.

In October, the commission published an interim report about TCN which expressed concerns about shift cover.

The company, which was established in 2005, among other services, provides GP cover for the period of time when GP surgeries are closed.

Dr Ubani was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence in Germany for negligence which caused Mr Gray's death.