Email from Neil Bacon to Fiona Godlee and the Response
I have just had a grovelling email from James Landon requesting that I disclose the correspondence regarding the link between Fiona Godlee and Neil Bacon in relation to the recent outpourings by NHS - Behind the Headlines. It is far too tempting not to write about this issue so here we go.
The above document is an email between the two. There is a second lengthier one for a rainy day. The above email concerns a article I was asked to write [Cybermedics - A Virtual Reality] in BMJ Careers. In it, I reviewed a Doctors Only website while interviewing a number of people who use the website. I declared my conflict but was bound by a court order regarding the finer detail. The BMJ itself failed to publish this conflict despite a signed declaration. A number of doctors had great fun abusing me on the Rapid Responses section. This unjustified criticism was not moderated by the BMJ at all. It also resulted in their initial negligence and failure to print my conflict. It commenced with Neil Bacon, who was having problem dealing with justified criticism of his website Doctors.net.uk. In return, he attempted to discredit the piece. That was his motivation for writing to Fiona Godlee who was happy to believe Neil's tales.
The accusations were that I did not disclose the conflict. I was not allowed to respond to the Rapid Responses and the damage. That is similar to our friend Neil Bacon's policy on preventing responses on iwantgreatcare. The BMJ had banned any response from me. One of the idiots on the responses section was the oddball - Dr Jonathan Whiteside, a conceited doctor based in Scotland who continued his tirade. As head henchman and honcho for Dr Bacon, he ran in and did his knightly thing until his armour fell off when I pointed out that at no time did his letter published in the BMJ carry his conflict of interest. He was a DNUK supportive reviewer and member. He is probably a bit like John Nottingham but with hair. But then we can't expect much of those who deal with patients who are either asleep or dead.
We should note one issue regarding this silly farce. The date during these exchanges was 28th November 2005. My father was dying during that time. The defamatory messages from the doctors occurred during this period. The accusation of non declaration was serious as it may have been a GMC matter. As usual, while these doctors complain of potential defamation on the internet on iwantgreatcare, they were quite happy to continue their frenzied attack on me. Any defence to these people is termed "derranged". One thing everyone can be sure of - when I am attacked in any way, I defend, and I defend to win. A girls gorra do what a girls gorra do. It is quite simple.
My father died on the 11th December 2005. During this period, I was forced into this pathetic example of human behaviour because of the BMJ's own incompetence [ see email below]. I observed the pattern of behavior from these doctors who clearly had a hangup. I know some of them read this website so I hope they are happy with what they did. I wasn't fond of dealing with correspondence of this nature during my father's funeral but there we have it - short sighted creatures often act without due thought.
I have never liked Fiona Godlee. That is no secret. Fiona Godlee went to University College London, broke up with Bertie and went onto develop into someone that no one particularly likes these days. She is also a grey haired Oxfordshire upper class boring feminist. Heaven only knows why she doesn't use Loreal hair dye - perhaps thats because she's not worth it. Because her persona is so boring, her journal is even more boring. That is why only boring people read it or post on it. While I am banned from the BMJ, one time criminal Penny Mellor [ harasser to David Southall] is allowed to happily post on their Rapid Responses section. Feminists allow feminists. Godlee is no doubt happy with ex felons hob nobbing with them while it is clear that intemperate whistleblowers are not allowed. Then again, Doctors.net.uk knows about Penny Mellor rummaging within their systems. That is common knowledge. Mind you Fiona is very happy for liars like Professor Griffiths to use the BMJ as a means to publicise his faulty ideas.
That is what the BMJ terms equality. I am no feminist. I think men have a rough deal in these years of feminism. Personally, I get sick of women issues being plastered over the BMJ all the time. That's why real men don't work with Fiona Godlee. A real man would not be able to stand her. I have always felt that Kamran Abassi was robbed of the BMJ Editor post but that's not just my view. Godlee is the golden girl much like Neil Bacon is Golden Balls but her sheer stupidity can be seen in her email above. They are also of the view that because of their background, upbringing and connections, they have the right to look down on others. They do look down on others as inferior beings. That is of course their problem - because while they have a fake facade. It is the fake facade of the medical establishment who think they are the most important people of then all. In actual fact, no one in the real world even gives a damn about them.
She addresses Neil on first name terms and tells him.
Amazing professionalism for an editor when she tells Neil :-
"Perhaps the main mistake was using her in the first place but these things happen".
In an email to me she said
"I have met Neil Bacon on two occasions, both of which were at his request to discuss possible collaborations"
She later accuses me of not giving her the full story - when she was made aware there was a court order but clearly, Fiona's one neurone failed to process that idea that court orders could not be breached. Please note that she allowed Neil Bacon to submit but banned any responses from me. This shows the favouritism slant towards Neil. This must be monitored acutely because any positive feature of iwantgreatcare.org by the BMJ should be assessed by examining the conflict and her prior dealings with Neil. It may explain the reason the BMJ have ignored the serious issues regarding iwantgreatcare.org and the strength of feeling from doctors. If Richard had been running the BMJ, he would have pinned iwantgreatcare.org right against the wall.
In Neil's email, he refers to Fiona on first name terms and says " Monday Morning - Might we speak RE Conflict of interest in the BMJ article published this weekend". Nice discussion on the phone so none of us can prove that the extreme matters of the court were discussed. We can imagine what that phonecall consists of. The BMJ has never accepted material from me since then. Thankyou Neil - you vindictive idiot. Then he did sell all the doctors down the swanee river. These were doctors that were faithful to him for years, made him lots of money and gave him the status he now relies on. He has hung these doctors out to dry on iwantgreatcare.org. I think thats the worst in human behaviour and the ultimate in betrayal. But then, I know Neil well. Well enough to know that he has no scrupples.
As for Fiona Godlee, some women are capable and intelligent. Others simply ride on reputation and upbringing. She was last seen commenting on Channel 4 on Raj Persaud. She may have a posh accent and have been to the right schools but she has a serious problem with reality. It is her job as editor to check for plagiarism :) and you would have thought she could do her job. That is why her journal has gone to the dogs. The journal may be applicable to old duffers but not to the younger generation who are on fire.
Gone are the days of Richard Smith when the BMJ was about free speech and everyone was accepted. These days, only upperclass conformists are allowed to write/post and discuss. As Richard Smith put it sometime ago, gone are the days when the BMJ/typical journals ruled the waves. They rule no more and they never will again. Those who run it are out of touch. It is simply that they bask in the glory of bygone days.
Of course, they would never feature me as a whistleblower - not someone they look down on :). That's fine because some of us are in the gutter looking at the stars and those at the BMJ are in the gutter looking at the drains. It is just a matter of perspective. Perhaps the main mistake the BMA made was using Fiona Godlee in the first place but these things happen. Silly girls simply aren't capable of understanding grass root issues affecting average doctors. Fiona Godlee lives in an Ivory Tower. She simply has no insight into her failings much like her friend Neil Bacon because in the end they are vacant people who lack insight into the rest of the world. Witchdoctor asks "Is Neil Bacon’s recklessness and vulnerability being used?". My answer is - no, it's his stupidity :).
The above though is an example of how whistleblowers with a reputation are perceived. I simply don't tolerate bad behaviour. It is a zero tolerance policy. The above is a robust defence to defamation. Under Gatley on Libel, I am allowed a right to reply.
From: Graham Eastonfont>
To: Rita Pal
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 11:18 AM
Subject: Cybermedicsfont>
Dear Rita
I have now found your declared competing interest form, and have posted a rapid response to your article, and a similar text for next week's issue. I'm sorry we ommittedfont> to print it. Here is the text we are using:
Unfortunately an administrative error meant that we failed to publish the author’s declared competing interests with this review (BMJ</font> Career Focus 2005;331:234). We are sorry for this ommissionnt> and happy to set the record straight. The competing interests that Rita Pal declared to us were:
The author was involved in litigation in 2004 with Doctors Net UK. Settled amicably and completed many months ago.
The author has subsequently told me that she invited comments from doctors.net.uk for inclusion in the article; they declined the offer.
Hope this is OK. I will also chase up the correction to the of the Bolsin article
Yours Sincerely
Dr Graham Eastonnt>
Editor BMJ
Editor, Learning in Practice
BMJ
Tavistock Square
LONDON WC1H 9JR
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