Wicked Witches

Professor Paice's Wicked Ways

Ian Hislop has never printed anything I have to say. That is probably because of the influence by Phil Hammond. Nevertheless, a few days ago, I was told by a nice little medical student that an annoying letter had been submitted to Private Eye regarding Dr Scot Jnr. It was clear that Paice had resorted to digging up anyone who could and would support her. No doubt she will be spotted at midnight digging the graves of all her supporters from the dark ages. Desperate people do things in desperate times. London Deanery will no doubt have made special adaptations for An American Werewolf in London on the 31st October 2008. Perhaps we ought to have told Ian Hislop that Prof Paice is subject to a GMC Investigation.

As Private Eye will no doubt reject my letter - much like the Godlee BMJ repeatedly does [ but prints material I write on behalf of my friends :)], I decided to print my response here. In my view, I believe it is best never to rely on any publication.

Of course, it should have been Private Eye campaigning for the reinstatement of Dr Scot Jnr. Clearly the magazine had better things to do.

Copy of Letter in Private Eye

"Sir,

I feel I must write in defence of Professor Elisabeth Paice (Medicine Balls 1220). Having worked as her PA for several years in the 1990s, I know her to be entirely committed to the support and welfare of junior doctors and passionate about improving their working conditions and opportunities. She is certainly nor petty or vindictive.

Dame Carol Black may or may not be a shit, but Dr Mackay is clearly an idiot. I mean, how many degrees do you need to recognise that abusing a senior colleague, in writing, in a public forum, is a bad idea? Quite apart from being unprofessional, it shows such poor judgement that I'm glad I'm never likely to be his patient, and surely Prof Paice and her colleagues were quite right to address it.

If I'd been caught doing something so foolish, I'd be keeping very quiet about it, not whingeing to Private Eye about how badly I'd been treated.

Yours faithfully,

Rebecca Rooum
Warwick"

MY RESPONSE

Dear Sirs,

RE: Rebecca Rooum's letter [ Response to Medicine Balls 1220]

As a bona fide NHS Whistleblower with a Report verifying my concerns regarding substandard care, I wish to make the following comments. In March 2002, a Commission of Health Improvements Report stated as follows "CHI was informed that junior doctors working in medicine were often inadequately supervised and often left alone on wards, particularly on the medical assessment unit (MAU). During an evening visit we found only two junior doctors covering MAU, which was full to capacity, with a further junior doctor covering MAU and emergency admissions; one junior doctor covered the medical wards and one covered medical outliers but these patients could be on wards on either site. CHI felt this situation posed a potential clinical risk to patients.”

Professor Paice was informed of the above in 1998 as she was my supervising Postgraduate Dean. She took no action. Her friend Professor Needham is currently visitor to the above hospital for the GMC and made no comments regarding the above issues. Our conclusion therefore is that she is not "entirely committed to the support and welfare of junior doctors and passionate about improving their working conditions and opportunities"

I understand that Rebecca Rooum is a PA but even PAs are able to read the basics of Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. Sedley J in 1999 pointed out "free speech included "not only the inoffensive, but the irritating, the contentious, the eccentric, the heretical, the unwelcome and the provocative, provided that it did not tend to provoke violence.Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having" .

Professor Paice's subjective view is not the " law" although she may think it is.

Regards

Dr Rita Pal
[ Part of the Campaign Group to Reinstate Dr Scot Jnr]

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