Finlay Scott. CBE For Keeping A Convicted Serial Killer on the GMC Register

Hanging Out With the Right Lizards

The problem with cornflakes is that I keep choking on it each time I read the antics of the establishment. Jobbing Doctor tells me that Finlay Scott has been given a CBE for "public service". This is not unexpected of course because he has " sucked up" to Liam Donaldson, sold out the medical profession and told Dame Janet Smith that " It ain't my fault gov, its the doctors fault". Of course, by "public service" I wonder if the government means this " Mr Scott has negligently allowed Dr Harold Shipman to practise for many years. Dr Shipman killed patient after patient following the GMC's errors". Perhaps "public service" means decreasing the UK's population through a serial killer.

We all know the government decides who gets the honours and we also know that Finlay Scott's services to the government has been perfect. Scotty has been the lapdog of the government for quite sometime now.

We can only blame Finlay Scott for the fact that a convicted serial killer remained on the medical register for a few weeks because the GMC had no way of suspending him or striking him off. Indeed, the GMC or the government did not even instigate an alert letter against Harold Shipman earlier on in his career. The Shipman Inquiry criticised the GMC.

The GMC allowed Harold Shipman to continue practising despite drug issues early on in his career. This is what the Inquiry stated

"6.195 My main criticism is that the GMC failed to give adequate protection to the public when dealing with the cases of doctors who had been convicted of offences arising out of an addiction to controlled drugs"

I don't see the sentence " The medical profession failed to give adequate protection to the public". The buck stops at the GMC yet the GMC was never revalidated or held accountable for any of the misdemeanors they have caused.

Finlay Scott has handed the medical profession to the government on a plate. He was responsible for some of the largest medical scandals in the history of medicine. The blame for serial killer Harold Shipman stops with Donald Irvine and Finlay Scott. No one else is to blame.

Of course, now we note that the entire medical profession will be placed on the revalidation operating table and dissected into small pieces. Finlay Scott will never be revalidated because he isn't held accountable. Both Finlay Scott and Donald Irvine have positioned themselves as "patient saviours" to deflect from their incompetence and the fact the blame for these scandals can only be laid at their door. To save their Bacon, Irvine sold the profession out and Finlay followed in his footsteps. Of course, these two men have never cared about patient welfare. Patient welfare is simply a ruse in their armoury to use and abuse and obtain their positions in high places.

Other scandals to Scott's name are the memo admission that " the GMC got it wrong" in the case of R v GMC Ex Parte Toth. Then there was the Richard Neale scandal. The list goes on of course. Then there are those that remain silent and those doctors who have been failed by the General Medical Council for raising patient concerns.

For avoidance of doubt, it was Finlay Scott who sanctioned the discreet inquiry that took place for more than one year. The investigation was done without my knowledge and out of procedure.

For his conduct, Harris HHJ dubbed the GMC a " totalitarian regime". It was Finlay Scott who placed hundreds of patients at risk on Ward 87 because of the mismanagement of that whistleblowing complaint. I should know because I was there.

Finlay Scott is solely responsible for numerous violations of human rights within GMC Towers, not just concerning patients but also concerning doctors.

I felt Finlay deserved this excellent dedication write up of his work to " public services". This is the write up the government does not want the world to see and Finlay Scott does not want the world to know about.

The CBE also answers the question as to why he rejected Remedy UK's calls to investigate Liam Donaldson. It his close association with Liam Donaldson that has achieved the CBE. For Scott, it is important to play with the right lizards in the right cesspit . An anonymous poster on Jobbing Doctor stated " Finlay Scott also has served on the board of the PMETB who have hardly covered themselves in glory since the inception of MTAS and MMC.".

Public Safety is Finlay Scott's last concern. So essentially, if anyone wants a New Years Honours, keep a serial killer on the register, that is a surefire way to ensure you are called Sir Finlay Scott.

Scott's fabulous quote is as follows

"transparency was like a greenhouse - you could look in but not enter the room"

A word from Dr Richard Coleman on how Finlay Scott achieved his current status.

The internal whistleblower at the GMC who describes the manner in which Finlay Scott et al works.

The issue concerned a report which was quite lax, contained factual errors but was very influential. The doctor concerned questioned the quality of that report. Richard Coleman had asked whether he could see the papers which went to the screener of the case. Finlay Scott had said that Richard Coleman was acting as the doctor's advocate. Richard Coleman was a member of the council and had legitimate concerns about the process. He was not questioning the substantive decision, just teasing away at the process. Later a handbook had come out giving guidance on how the screeners should and could conduct their enquiries. This was not done sufficiently rigorously in this case.

Doctors were being scapegoated to engineer political and public opinion by the PCC and that seemed unjust to Richard Coleman

The issue concerned a report which was quite lax, contained factual errors but was very influential. The doctor concerned questioned the quality of that report. Richard Coleman had asked whether he could see the papers which went to the screener of the case. Finlay Scott had said that Richard Coleman was acting as the doctor's advocate. Richard Coleman was a member of the council and had legitimate concerns about the process. He was not questioning the substantive decision, just teasing away at the process. Later a handbook had come out giving guidance on how the screeners should and could conduct their enquiries. This was not done sufficiently rigorously in this case.

"Richard Coleman had been refused access to the papers, although he had asked about three times. So in the end, Richard Coleman had had to write to the doctor concerned and say that he could not help him. The excuses which Finlay Scott had given were not strong. Richard Coleman had sat on a case concerning a psychiatrist's report on a nurse, where the doctor concerned and put in something, in good faith, which turned out not to be true. That doctor had got hauled up to a hearing even though he had had no intention to deceive. That had struck Richard Coleman as being a similar case. This had all led Richard Coleman to begin to question things more. He realised that there was a barrier between him as a member and what the GMC wanted him to know. Finlay Scott had once told him that transparency was like a greenhouse - you could look in but not enter the room. To RC, that was not transparency at all" Dr Richard Coleman [ GMC Committee member]"

In my view, Finlay Scott should have resigned from the General Medical Council. His incompetence has never been held accountable in any forum. He has cleverly deflected the blame for the medical scandals from him to the medical profession. While the medical profession has been under the microscope, Mr Scott has wallowed in his new found " patient saviour" image. Image of course is everything for a man like Finlay Scott.

While he lounges with the right lizards, junior and senior doctors are trapped in revalidation and relicensing. Of course, the person who should be revalidated every month is Finlay Scott himself. Without that, the next Harold Shipman will never be caught.

An interesting link is Labours part in the cash for honours scandal.

Remedy UK. Rebels With a Cause. Join it Now

The Remedy UK Team Stirring The Rebel Hotpot

Click here to Join

OK, Angus Dei has redone the graphics for me :) and I feel much better.

Hope everyone likes my choice of Remedy UK men! I can't cope without scenery at least once a week.

Personally [ and I used to score fairly highly at Anatomy], I think Remedy UK's men are pretty hot. That is just one reason for female doctors to join Remedy UK. You gorra have scenery. And we know the BMA has NO scenery. Here we have the Tele Savalas sexy look of Matt Shaw who is probably married with twenty dozen kids but I suspect no F1 will care about that. Something to do with hormonal dyscontrol syndrome at that age.

"Hot" Stuff.
Dump the Pink Tie Matt.

There is though one minor problem, one of them wears a pink tie [ I wonder who that could be!] but we can overlook such a fashion faux pas [ can someone dress these boys in future please]. This is just Matts " Barbie" phase. Normal functioning shall apparently resume soon.

If they have wives, here is the link to Saville Row . None of them have stripped down to their kilts to date.

All pictures of Remedy UK men are downloadable as desktop wallpapers if anyone wants them.

Anyway, I am back after the New Year.

Now, here is Richard Marks with all the new F1 Remedy UK members

Full Marks For the Minimalist approach.

Join Remedy UK Today

JOIN REMEDY UK

Join Remedy UK

I am not one for advertising material but I ought to present the Remedy UK graphic. The problem is that I don't think that graphic is aesthetic to the eye, probably because it was designed by a bunch of guys. I prefer the Uncle Sam version although it may well be outdated. Remedy UK says "Basic membership of Remedy is free. The paid-up subscription gets people a few extra goodies and some extra features"

My view, Remedy UK has tons of potential. The brains behind it are highly intelligent. Remedy UK should widen their appeal, turn themselves into a trade union. The Locum Doctors Association managed to do that with a lot fewer members than Remedy UK. A association with GMB may be worth thinking about. The only way to pull the carpet from the incompetent BMA is to stop subscribing to them and their tatty little journal. I think though some doctors stick to the BMA as if it is a addiction or perhaps they suffer from a sense of insecurity. There is nothing preventing doctors finding alternative representation.

Anyway, Witchdoctor does it better than me. Here she is with her magic spells. It is time to back Remedy UK. I just wish they would wash Blackstones Chambers out of their hair but thats a lesson for them to learn as time moves on and as long as every has faith in their lawyers, that is fine with me. Those new to the world of warfare often discover how hard the brick wall is when they bang their heads against it.

Lord Lester QC of Blackstone Chambers advised the GMC on the civil standard of proof and the chambers has well established links with the GMC with Mark Shaw QC representing against a large number of doctors in trouble. Indeed, Blackstones Chambers are the long term Chambers of choice for the General Medical Council. Both Blackstones and Field Fisher Waterhouse know where the GMC's skeletons are hidden.

I have beaten Blackstone Chambers in court once. I cannot say the experience was a good one. Despite winning and flattening the barrister with my tactics, I didn't feel she had been fair . The I realised there was nothing fair about the world of litigation. The chambers spends their time in advertising their beliefs in human rights then seeks to advocate a violation of human rights in the courts - depending on whether they are paid enough of course.

I cannot say that the chambers plays fair with anyone but no one has to take my word to believe this you simply have to watch them in detail in court. If you are clever enough, you can spot the manner in which their world rotates. Their world rotates in a manner that Dickens described lawyers. I am unsure whether the lawyers within Blackstone Chambers are human really. There are many lawyers who are honest, decent people - a bit money minded but what can you expect in a profession who bills their clients for the air they breathe. Blackstone Chambers though are a different kettle of fish. They float in the darker murkier waters. Mind you, with the GMC, you really have to. You can't be an honourable lawyer and fight for the GMC. Everyone knows that.

I know though that Lord David Pannick QC [ Blackstones] was beaten to a pulp by litigant in person, junior doctor Saher Sadek in his case against the MPS. Rumour has it the good lord was also paid handsomely through doctors subscription funds at the Medical Protection Society. £10,000/per day was the number floating around the medical corridors. There is no confirmation of this though. It is though just a rumour.

On occasion, some of us believe that lessons of the past should teach us something about the future. The younger generation of rebel doctors are yet to learn about the cut throat world of litigation where no one wins - you just survive. The lessons are hard but in time the realisation often kicks in. Usually by then it is too late.

P

Bull In a China Shop . Dim Carol Black's Revalidation/Relicensing Mini Project.

Dim Carol Black
Fresh from the MMC Fiasco to the Revalidation/Relicensing Catastrophe.

I have been observing Dim Carol Black for a while. From the impromptu "vacation" she took during the Dr Scot Jnr scandal to her failure to admit her involvement in his take down. Dim Carol Black is not loved by any junior doctor. Indeed, Dr Rant features the latest shoe throwing episode [ which is hilarious]. The masterful Dr Rant is back on form. I am pleased about that.

Dim Carol Black was one of the architects of the MMC fiasco. Her work cannot be seen to have been good at all. The Tooke Report etc show this. My fellow blogging friends at the Rant Foundation may be able to outline Carol Black's actual role in the MMC Fiasco in detail. This is vital because we do need to observe what the quality of her performance will be in revalidation and re licensing. Here she is missing from the Committee meeting at the GMC while they were discussing revalidation etc "Apologies for absence were noted from Professor Dame Carol Black, Professor Bulstrode, Professor Dunlop, Dr Jenkins, Dr Lewis, and the Chief Medical Officers for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales" [5th December 2007]. Perhaps she was lost in the baggage compartment of Terminal 5 Heathrow.

Fresh from one fiasco, she is now moving into another fiasco to be - Revalidation and Relicensing.

This link is rather interesting. The Academy of Medical Colleges shows Dim Carol Black as part of the group. The website states

"An Academy/GMC Steering Group has been established to facilitate collaborative working on revalidation. This overarching group is jointly chaired by Professor Sir Graeme Catto and Professor Dame Carol Black and contains five GMC Council members and six College Presidents"

Here she is on the Revalidation group at the Department of Health.

Here she is again

"Members of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges will have a central role in setting standards for recertification and designing the methods by which doctors will be evaluated against those standards. Its president Dame Carol Black said: ‘I welcome this opportunity to help shape the development of revalidation. The Academy and the Royal Colleges have an important role to play in the development process. We will be working with the GMC and others to establish standards for specialist practice that doctors will have to achieve to obtain specialist recertification.'

And again, here she is giving all doctors careers advice. Is the careers advice as good as the MMC Fiasco :)?

Here is the prized article that amused me no end. Carol Black speaking on professionalism. This GMC article is a fascinating account of how divorced from reality Dim Carol Black really is. Here we observe the use of flamboyant words mish mashed together in the hope that no one understands it. What does Carol Black mean because she certainly cannot practise what she preaches.

"I believe that developments in professional education and training, and guidance in the wake of regulatory development and reform, will enhance the new professionalism in important ways. This is especially so now that the relationship between the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) and the Colleges is on a surer footing, with the intent to have a single regulator [the Secretary of State announced earlier this year that PMETB will be merged with the GMC in 2010]"

Can we mention the Tooke Report here then :).

She went onto say :-

"Effective teams bring together people of different disciplines, crossing professional boundaries. They invoke a sense of shared purpose, and a firm commitment to collaboration as a way to improve care. They depend on sound and continuing education and training, a culture of improvement and governance arrangements to sustain improved performance, coupled with effective leadership. Are these harmonies not expressions of professionalism first, rather than regulatory tidiness?"

Can we me mention the Tooke Report here again :).

Actually, we ought to mention Carol Black's speech at the Health Select Committee here which is even more amusing.

Remedy UK gives us some interesting gems

"Shockingly, Dame Carol also claimed that none of the royal colleges ever saw a completed MTAS application form. She told MPs: ‘They saw parts of it, but a completed form was never sent for their approval.’

"Dame Carol admitted that the Academy in particular had not been strong enough, describing it as existing only ‘in rather rudimentary form’. She said: ‘Each college did its very best with individual needs. What was lacking was we did not act together as an Academy…That is a definite lesson to be learnt.’

"Dame Carol said failure of the DH to respond to the report was creating ‘unease’ within the profession and declared there was ‘an urgent need’ for one to be issued"

"MPs also took the opportunity to quiz Dame Carol about the controversial letter that she co-authored with the then-BMA chairman Mr James Johnson. BMA council members forced Mr Johnson from his post following the letter’s publication in The Times.

Labour MP Dr Doug Naysmith asked Dame Carol why she had used the letter to express confidence in Sir Liam Donaldson when he had been so widely criticised. Dame Carol responded: ‘The letter was an attempt at unity that obviously did not work well…In supporting the CMO we were supporting the principles as expanded in MMC.’

And here is Carol Black speaking on Clinical Responsibility and doctors as managers. More large words but not quite in the right order. Of course, she doesn't mean any of it. For Dim Carol Black, its all show and little action.

During the Tooke Report, the letters were the most interesting. Black was condemned for her role in the MMC fiasco. She has not been held accountable. She has just gone from one titanic to a second revalidation/relicensing ship.

So from the public/doctors, the comments were as follows

1. Dame Carol Black needs to concentrate on a single role instead of spreading herself so thinly amongst many becoming ineffectual, to put it politely.Patrick Murray, Leeds, UK

2. When will they do the right thing and resign? J.Newman, Ringwood, Hampshire

3. It is time for some accountability - Donaldson and Black should resign. There is a lot of repair work that needs to be done to the medical profession and getting rid of those responsible for the mess only seems sensible. Waqas Ullah, Hornchurch, Essex

4. Sir Liam Donaldson and Dame Carol Black must resign and it is sad that thy may need to be pushed. They have presided over an extremely damaging assault on medical training with an unbelievable smugness and complacency. They are responsible and there will be little confidence in solutions for future years until they are replaced..RA, Edinburgh

5. Donaldson and Black both forced through the horrors of the MMC Fiasco despite virtually every doctor in the country - including medical students - warning them time and time again that this would prove disastrous. They would not listen to anyone, and insisted on ruining the careers and personal lives of tens of thousands of young doctors, let alone exposing our sick and vulnerable patients to poorly trained and demotivated medics. Their idiocy and contempt for the wishes and advice of their colleagues have now been exposed to the shock and disgust of the wider world and their positions must now be considered untenable. Donaldson and Black HAVE to go, they have lost all credibility, respect and trust and are the pariahs of the medical world. jonny, Durban, South Africa

6. Donaldson and Black must go. The sooner the better . Ciaran, Colchester,

7. Sir Liam Donaldson and Dame Carol Black must now resign. If it were up to the medical profession as a whole, they would be stripped of their peerages.

Could it happen again? It WILL happen again because it is unbelievable that these 2 have survived this long. Whatever forces have protected them so far will clearly act to protect similar disastrous leaders so willing to sell their colleagues down the river in exchange for political honours. The UK is very good at conducting detailed enquiries or reviews. But we are hopeless at really changing anything. An American who has been in senior management positions in the UK and is now non-executive board member of a PCT told me this 'remember, the British always, always temporise. They rarely do anything definitive until absolutely forced to do so'

MD, London, UK

8. I note that your contributors have called for the resignations of Liam Donaldson and Carol Black. Both clearly must answer for their parts in the mismanagement of the past year of MMC and should go. To me it was noticeable that the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board, the QUANGO headed by the notorious Prof Rubin is to be 'incorporated' into the GMC, ie got rid of as it was not up to the task. Prof Rubin, readers will remember, penned the Pilate-like 'not me guv' letter. Let us hope that now his QUANGO is no more that he too will, at last, do the honourable thing! David L. Cox, Loggerheads, UK

9. I think Dame Carol Black and Sir Liam Donaldson have now lost the confidence of their professional colleagues and should resign. Dr Peter Davies, Halifax, West Yorkshire

10. Liam Donaldson and Dame Carol Black should have the decency to resign. Sarah, London.

And there we have it, Carol Black didn't resign, she was never held accountable for her mismanagement of the MMC, she lay in the background while Elisabeth Plaice did her job for her in shutting down criticism. She was not outspoken about the fact that Dr Scot Jnr had been suspended. She remained tight lipped. Now, she fails to answer the GMC as to her involvement in the Dr Scot Jnr issue.

Instead of holding her accountable, she is now spearheading revalidation and relicensing, which is the next disaster due to hit the medical profession's fan. Is that what they do these days - promote incompetent senior doctors with a record of placing doctors livelihoods at risk and placing patient safety in jeopardy.

Having ruined the lives of a thousands of MMC doctors, she will probably start to ruin the lives of 300,000 more doctors during revalidation and relicensing. She does remind me of a bull in china shop. Where there is the reckless Carol Black, there is certain disaster.

And that is Dim Carol Black in a nutshell.

NB Dim Carol Black [phrase] copyrighted to Angus Dei :).

Oh So Peachy at GMC Towers

Warning - GMC At Work Plus Benefits

As many people will know, I have been hot on the trail of Professor Paice and Professor Needham. As everyone is aware, Plaicey was one of the architects of the MMC. She is probably the most hated dean this side of the medical hemisphere. Being a fish, especially a large flat white fish must be difficult for Plaicey. This is what happens to those who believe they are invinsible. It is even worse when the entire blogsphere is filled with little post it notes that detail her antics. Plaice will realise that she cannot flash her fins without running into a blogger.

The tale is as follows, Dr Scot Jr had a minor attack of artistry with colourful words on a Doctors only Website. Those were the days when our tartan king felt brave. This caused Plaicey to huff and puff, she then attempted to blow his job down in Inverness. Professor Needham bowed and scraped and reacted rapidly, it was so rapid that the synaptic firing just didn't happen. We think it must have been her surgical lovers or Hemlock. All this subsequently caused the tartan king to hide under his duvet only to be quoted in one Glasgow newspaper. No doubt, he will be gritting his proverbial teeth while struggling through his shortbread this Christmas.

While all this was going on, I formally complained to the GMC. It did go passed the Registrars stage [Primary Stage] at GMC Towers and is currently wallowing around with a nice chap called David Patterson, paid by GMC Towers. He also has free use of the local gym and health insurance. Golly! He is a lucky bunny. For all the junior doctors out there who have no oncall rooms, who have suffered the perils of the MMC and those whose careers have been terminated by the medical establishment should take a peak at the benefits of lounging around GMC Towers. Spectacular benefits for those who do not know their own case law. :). Even more spectacular for those who have to look said case law up on this website :).

All doctors should also understand that it is their money that pays for these benefits. All junior doctors slogging their guts out at NHS Towers and whose interests are placed pretty low down in the pecking order at GMC Towers, end up funding these snow dogs at the GMC.

Anyway, as most people know, Plaicey and Hemlock Queen submitted their responses. That is if you can call them submissions. In my view, I have seen better submissions penned by a GCSE student. They were more of a " chuck the complaint out, its ok if we all abuse our powers" kind of response.

Of course, the complaint hangs on by the skin of its teeth. At least it is hanging on. The first game of chess played by the GMC was the purposeful omission of the Scot Jnr post [that was removed from the Doctors only website] from both responses [ Paice and Needham]. The GMC refused to disclose the post for sometime. I moaned about this repeatedly online and offline. The GMC demanded that I submit a response without access to the post in question. I dug my heels in and told them, if they continue their antics of non disclosure, I would challenge them. I decided not to respond substantively at all. I sat and waited, ate chocolate, wrote Christmas cards, looked at hunky men when all of a sudden, GMC Towers backed down. I nearly choked on my cornflakes.

I do like the way that our friend Patterson palms this off as a accidental mistake :) and glosses over the fact that the posts were purposely omitted from me. A apparent"mistake" that he made not once but twice. Perhaps it was a case of Britney Spears " Opps I did it again". I postulated on the various places the mysteriously disappearing Dr Scot Jnr art work may have disappeared to. Perhaps Snow Dog 1 David Patterson had a case of selective memory loss. Perhaps Finlay Scott had grabbed it and clutched onto it until his lawyers used prised it away from him. Perhaps it was under Graeme Catto's bed. Even worse, perhaps it was hidden in Carol Black's holiday luggage. Anyway, following the mention of Henshall, the posts appeared. Perhaps it was just by magic :).

Do note the phrase " redaction" in the letter below :). The GMC uses this posh word to describe their efforts at concealing material purposely. This is their interpretation of transparency. Of course, if one right clicks on the redaction :), the link shows us the identity of Dr Scot Jnr :) :). I have been known to hold redactions under bright lights and translate them :). Nothing is hidden forever of course.

Anyway, here is the email from the intrepid GMC post hunter David Patterson. Gosh, he suddenly found the post when faced with the case law Henshall that described how the GMC are obliged to disclose ALL documents to both parties. Isn't that a coincidence eh. A snow dog backing down after looking the case law up online :). So, the above is a picture of David and his colleagues sporting the new GMC shades -that's because they are all "shady" :). OMG OMG, you just know GMC Towers will term this post "inappropriate" :) *wink* directed at Dr India :).

I am due to respond to the submissions by the 9th January 2009. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to let me know. I have my chocolate supply ready, one Bacardi breezer, Dreamgirls DVD, Mama Mia , Now Magazine and Hello to keep me occupied while I pen my response. My response is based on collective suggestions by some very clever people [ and some sexy men!].

No snow dogs/ GMC workers were harmed during the making of this post :) :).

----- Original Message -----

From: David Patterson (0161 923 6426)
To: Rita Pal
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 11:20 AM
Subject: RE: GMC Investigation: I1-220900958


Dear Dr Pal

Further to our previous correspondence, please find attached two copies of the relevant internet posting.

The first was provided by Professor Paice with her response and the second accompanied Professor Needham’s comments, both of which I have already forwarded.

Please note these have been redacted in part and my apologies for not having disclosed them sooner. I am also happy to agree a two week due date for your response and would therefore be grateful if you could submit your comments by 09 January 2008.



Yours sincerely



David Patterson

Investigation Officer

Fitness to Practise Directorate

General Medical Council

5th Floor

St James's Building

79 Oxford Street

Manchester

M1 6FQ



Direct Dial: 0161 923 6426

Email: dpatterson@gmc-uk.org

Ward 87 Awards.

The Award Goes to Dr Wayne

Jobbing Doctor has been guzzling too much turkey this Christmas.

He lists his rickbats and soubriquets for 2008. I had to go and look up those words in the dictionary because I am suffering from Turkey Catatonia. It happens.

Apparently, he has batted his lovely eye lashes in my direction and named me campaigner of the year. I am humbled by this. JD is actually a very senior member of the medical profession and I am honoured. Actually, our webmaster just told me about it and I got all nervous and weak at the legs. This often happens when JD compliments me :). I believe its a sort of blogging hormonal nervous twitch.

I have never think of myself as a campaigner - but I do think of myself as a writer and one who challenges ideas much like artists push forward frontiers and see the world in 3D. I have always liked challenging the status quo and presenting various different ideas. I think its good for people to read different aspects of the same story. I consider what I write a different kind of artform - one with a medical influence.

As I am never one for compliments and awards and neither do I know how to react to them, I am about to pass this one onto Witchdoctor and a few others. So here are my Ward 87 Awards.

As everyone knows, WD is one of my favourite bloggers. Her day and night coverage of the Dr Scot Jnr case which kept us all going and updated far surpassed anything done by us. WD has worked the hardest for Dr Scot Jnr and deserves some short bread from him. As Dr Scot Jnr has beamed himself up to Inverness, we haven't heard a peep out of him. For a man who has such artistry with swear words, I am amazed that he remains tight lippped. There is of course a time to remain silent and a time to fight on. Many need Dr Scot Jnr. I don't of course but other junior doctors do. If he is reading this, he should stop concealing himself under his tartan quilt and start fighting with Remedy UK.

The most important unsung hero of them all is someone called Dr Wayne. Dr Wayne is intelligent, young, dynamic and believes in so many things. He has so much potential and reminds me that those who are never jaded can actually change the world. Dr Wayne believes he can change the world and often does.

Dr Wayne was responsible for a large number of excellent graphics during the Dr Scot Jnr saga. Dr Wayne doesn't sleep and he works extremely hard on behalf of his colleagues. The world seems to have forgotten Dr Wayne but I haven't because I know how hard he worked for Dr Scot Jnr. Put it this way, had it not been for Dr Wayne, we would never have covered it.

Dr Wayne keeps all the bloggers going when we wilt in the rough winds. I call him The Catalyst. Unknown to the public, this is the junior doctor who is the bravest one of them all. He once wrote to me and stated "I believe passionately in justice". I laughed outloud of course but went away and thought about that sentence in great depth. He reminds me, of me about 10 years ago - when even I believed passionately in justice until I realised that it didn't actually exist.

Perhaps there are various images of justice - but in all these years I realised one thing - man makes his own justice.

The third person is Dr Richard Marks one of the leaders of Remedy UK. Apart from being supercute [ and I have to say that because I have eyes], Richard and his team shows the medical profession that there is a different way, a right way, a brave way and continues to fight for a better future. Marks and his colleagues has made medical history by the creation of Remedy UK. When I was a junior doctor, nothing like this was even possible. Richard Marks is a man of vision, intelligence and talent. Remedy UK has a huge amount of potential if doctors support it. By this I mean, seniors as well as junior doctors. There should be a change in the medical profession. I think Remedy UK shows most doctors the way to a brighter future. This is a new year and while no one can change the past, each one of us can change the future. To make your own justice, I think doctors should stop subscribing to the BMA and start subscribing to Remedy UK.

The fourth person is Dr Liz Miller. She achieved an award from MIND this year. She also appeared in the Guardian. Apart from standing next to a hunky man at the awards ceremony, she has also spent this Christmas with a hunky surgeon. Yes yes, we are all jealous. Jesting aside, Miller does more for sick doctors and doctors in trouble than anyone I know. Her work is done silently and tirelessly. She doesn't crow about it or advertise it - she just gets on with her job. She has probably saved many doctors from the brink of despair and death. Miller is like a large bird and does what I could never do - takes care of everyone as if they were a member of her own family. If anyone works selflessly,tirelessly and wholeheartedly - its Dr Liz Miller.

The fifth person is my friend Dr India. Dr India has braved the worst circumstances to befall any doctor. He has faced the GMC and survived it. I am extremely proud of him for fighting his case effectively to obtain the best possible result. This is a New Year and all journeys teach us just that little bit more about dealing with the future.

The sixth person is our hardest working writer - Mr Angus Dei. Angus has fought off depression and bereavement and created some amazing narratives for us. We all admire him and know how hard the journey has been. He has achieved the most this year and teaches us all about survival.

The seventh person is Louise who we haven't seen a great deal of on NHS -Behind the Headlines but she has done amazingly well, taken up a course after many years, overcome her trauma and pushed forward frontiers. Louise knows that no one can change the past but she has the power to change the future.

As for Jobbing Doctor - he gets a huge hug and cyberkiss from me :).

RICK ROLL

I know Alexandra Burke is doing well in the charts but being a child of the 80s, I just had to feature the bubblegum single from Rick Astley. This is probably in memory of my days with Diamond White and on the floor dancing. "Never Gonna Give You Up" is a song originally performed by singer Rick Astley. It was released as a single from Astley's multi-million selling debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987), which was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman. The song was a worldwide number-one hit, initially in the singer's native United Kingdom in 1987, where it stayed at number one for five weeks and was the best-selling single of that year.

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is the subject of a popular Internet prank known as "rickrolling" involving misleading links redirecting to the song's music video. By May 2007, the practice had achieved notoriety on the Internet,^[2] and it increased in popularity after its use as a 2008 April Fool's Day joke by various media companies and websites, including YouTube rickrolling all of its featured videos on that day and a website allowing people to Rickroll their friends' phones.^[3]

In 'a couple of weeks', about 13 million people had been 'rickrolled' into watching Astley's video, the BBC reported on 1 April 2008. "I think it's just one of those odd things where something gets picked up and people run with it," Astley told the Los Angeles Times in late March 2008, adding: "That's what's brilliant about the Internet."^[4][5]

Rick Astley also appeared in the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade interrupting a song performed by those on a float promoting the Cartoon Network program Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends with a lipsynched performance of "Never Gonna Give You Up". ^[6]

On December 1, 2008, a campaign was started on Facebook to attempt to get the song to become the 2008 Christmas #1 in the UK as an attempt to "rickroll" the country during Christmas. The group attracted nearly 30,000 people in its first week active. Campaigners are encouraged to get as many people as possible to download the song from iTunes between the 15th and 20th of December 2008. However, the song only managed to peak at #73^[7].

So, this is my effort at Rick Rolling :)

I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I shall be back online on about the 28th December 2008. Thankyou all for visiting Ward 87.

Myspace Graphics, Christmas Graphics at WishAFriend.com

Unforgetable

I am not one for slow songs but I wanted to thank the man who stands in the rain with me :)through hail, snow, wind and treacherous conditions. The above track was released by Nat King Cole and then released by his daughter. I used to play it on a grand piano a long time ago. It is a beautifully crafted old song but is actually timeless.

So amongst all the war zones, all the critical writing and the various trials and tribulations of a whistleblower - none of it is actually important or that relevant when you realise that the man who stands by you in the rain is the most important person in the world.

Without him, everything is meaningless :). So the one lesson every whistleblower learns is the true meaning of the word "love".

The Asha Debate

Next Applicant for the F1 posts in
North Staffordshire NHS Trust.

My views on Dr Mohammed Asha is well known. Following my post yesterday, a interesting comment floated in. Actually, there have been a number of interesting comments but this one didn't contain the word " bitch" so I thought I would feature it in the interest of debate [see below]. I should make a few issues clear

I believe Mohammed Asha should be given the same treatment that I or other doctors facing the GMC have been given. That treatment is as follows

a. An assassination of references from North Staffordshire NHS Trust
b. Lack of support from the Sentinel newspapers
c. He should be investigated by the GMC. I have been investigated a total of 3 times in the last 10 years. Each issue has been regarding material I have written. So, there is no reason he should not be investigated for extremist material he possessed.
d. He should be considered possibly guilty despite being proven innocent in court. In fact, I have lived with that accusation by North Staffordshire NHS Trust for the last 10 years.
e. He should be a pariah because all whistleblowers become pariahs.
f. He should have the feeling of desertion from the medical profession because both Steve Bolsin and I have had the same treatment.
g. Steve Bolsin has had to leave to work in Australia. Mr Asha therefore should go back to Jordan or wherever he comes from.

This is what I term equality.

I see no reason he should be given special treatment by any party at any time. Some of us work hard to clear our names, he thinks that just because he tells the world that " he loves the NHS" that we should all think he is " wonderful". Just because he obtained legal representation on legal aid which is more than any doctor facing the GMC gets, we should be grateful that his case was won on a " technicality". The email below accuses me of many issues but we should remember that despite the gratitude that has wallowed through it, there remains few people who will publicly stand by a whistleblower. It is clear that MPs, health campaign groups and doctors are prepared to speak out for Dr Asha but few have ever spoken out in favour of me. Not that I require it because I am fairly self sufficient but I merely observe the inequality in our society. The muslim religions has nothing to do with Dr Asha. I simply think he comes across as a "smug git". I have always thought that. I find his effusive references describing him as a "brilliant neurologist" to be rather sickening because in the end, he is just a junior doctor.

Finally, Dr Mohammed Asha would never in his entire life stand by a whistleblower. He cannot expect a whistleblower to stand by him. I don't think he deserves any favoritism, I often think some people in the world need to get a taste of reality and need to work hard like the rest of us to clear his name - not only in the court but publicly.

Had the prosecution's case not disintegrated due to the unforgivable behaviour of Paddington Police Station, and had the verdict been based on the entire evidence, I would have believed Asha. At present, we are in a state were we have no idea whether he is guilty or innocent on the basis of the evidence. To make my point in this issue, many rapists and child abusers are let off the court system on the basis of a technicality. There are many innocent and wrongly accused men in the world whose cases we can believe. I simply don't believe that of Mohammed Asha at all. There are many good doctors to shed tears for - thousands of them. Dr Asha is not one of them and he certainly has not succeeded in persuading me.

Finally, I really don't give a damn whether people like or hate my opinion. It is my opinion and I am allowed to hold it. This emailer writes "You have earned my trust and confidence and I am hoping you will keep it". Just to make a final point, I write because I like writing, I don't write to earn anyones respect or confidence - because I actually don't need to win brownie points within the public forum. If people want to read this blog - fine. If they don't want to read it, that's fine too. This blog is written daily because I attempt to preserve my intellect on analysis and debate. It is also written because I practise writing every evening or every morning on a daily basis. It is not written for any other reason or for anyone else.

As for people who email me, I assist where I can, and that is where it ends.

Comment Left Today in response to this piece.

Dear Rita,

I am indebted and grateful to you for the help you have given me (like so many other doctors are). I have therefore refrained from commenting on the anti-Mohammad Asha articles you have uploaded so far. But I will request you to please temper your anger at the poor guy. Nowadays Muslims frequently get accused of terrorism ( and Dr Asha is no more even an alleged terrorist) when the establishment including the GMC when the rest of the charges against them fail. On behalf of all Muslim doctors in the UK ( in fact on the part of the whole Muslim ummah!), I would like to express my support for your fight against Staffordshire NHS trust. I may also humbly make the following submissions about Asha's immigration status

1. He has not violated any immigration law. His visa ran out during detention and he could not renew it. As an exonerated man he is entitled to continue to live in this country.

2. He is not working for the Staffordshire Trust any more

3. He is not Jordanian, he is a Palestinian refugee living in Jordan. His family are amongst the millions who were forced to migrate across the river Jordan as a result of the creation of the Zionist state. They do not have the same rights as natives and have been persecuted since the Battle of Karameh in 1970.

4. Jordan itself a temporary buffer state created by the British after the first world war to protect Greater Israel and ruled over by their puppet, the descendants of the Sharif of Makkah (a "friend" of Lawrence of Arabia) in a "Mukhabirat" state that punishes dissent in an inhumane way.

5. You can imagine the sensitivity surrounding the Jordanian monarchy that when King Hussein had to be replaced in 1999, he was first forced to change his will and disinherit his (reformist) brother Hassan and then was sent to America's Mayo Clinic where the doctors promptly killed him (Mayo Clinic exposed?). Google it if you do not believe me. This unbelievable medieval drama is happening today just like the Iraq war to protect Israeli interests. Nor is anyone prepared to "whistle-blow" on it.

6. Dr Asha was not convicted of terrorism. But if you click on this link http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/dec/19/uksecurity-terrorism, you can see the wrenched finger-nails of a man who was. Mr Ahmed was tortured in this way by Pakistani intelligence on the orders of MI-5 simply to extract confessions palatable to a UK court of justice. 7. I only write here because you are a friend who has treated me with fairness and mutual respect. You have earned my trust and confidence and I am hoping you will keep it. I do not usually preach nor engage with anyone whom I perceive has no respect for me.

I hope you do not mind.

yours sincerely

TO THE HOME OFFICE - SEND DR ASHA BACK TO JORDAN

Asha's home

Well, well well, I wondered when the Sentinel would run a campaign to keep Dr Mohammed Asha in the United Kingdom. My take on this man is presented here. The Sentinel's article here is even more fascinating. The Sentinel's news source is Ian Syme, eccentric health campaigner and supporter of the Henshalls. For all those who cannot remember, the Sentinel backed the wrong horse for 10 years then slithered away when the case was lost at the GMC. Today, Ian Syme and his team of merry oddballs can be seen to be backing the wrong horse again. Clearly, his dark glasses is clouding his focus. Syme though gets oxygen of publicity but science is not his forte.

A few months ago, I wrote about Ian Syme here.

As everyone knows, the issue of Ward 87 has been blocked from publication by the Sentinel. The matter has been repeatedly discussed with Ian Syme who cleverly ignores it. We ought to see that email from the Sentinel again.

From: Berrisford, Tim (Sentinel)
To: 'Rita Pal' Sent:
Friday, February 10, 2006
5:25 PM Subject:
FW: Sentinel Advert
Dear Dr Pal

Thank you for your interest in advertising with Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers Ltd.However, we have had to seek advice due to the nature of the ad, and we are regrettably unable to accept your request to advertise.

Tim Berrisford AdServices Team Leader Staffordshire Sentinel Newspapers Ltd Tel. 01782 602525 ext. 3070

The Sentinel's love for Mohammed Asha is very touching indeed. Ian Syme is well known for his associatinons with Carl and Debbie Henshall, Brian Morgan plus Penny Mellor [anti child protection campaigners]. It is therefore clear that the terror trial doctor Mohammed Asha is being backed by this group. [ UNHS Healthwatch]. No doubt Ian Syme will wish to seek expert advice on prison food from Penny Mellor.

So this is rather amusing :-

"He said: "Newcastle was always the most unlikely haven for terrorist activity. This man has now been acquitted and deserves to get on with his life as an innocent party. It would be unjust after this verdict to deport someone who settled here with his family and who had a promising career."

During the trial, a number of Dr Asha's former colleagues gave evidence on his behalf, paying tribute to his skills and learning.

The court heard that just prior to his arrest he had secured a training post in neurosurgery at Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry.

Rupert Price, consultant neurosurgeon at UHNS, said he gave Dr Asha the best reference he has ever given"

Amazing, all colleagues back a person on trial for terrorism but UNHS Trust consultants refused to back me up.

So for such a "clever" neurologist, I find it amazing that he has such a lack of insight when making friends. I believe his friends are currently in prison convicted of terroris.

I see an MP from the Labour Party is backing Asha. It is a shame that the fellow Stoke on Trent Labour Party colleagues Mark Fisher and Frank Cook are still struggling to find the referral of Ward 87 to the Health Commission 2 years later :). Dear me, it is so easy to back a half baked dubious junior doctor who faced terror charges and is now free.

So lets get this clear, Asha was nothing more than a Senior House Officer :). Thats a " trainee doctor". And just knowing neuroanatomy doth not maketh the doctor :).

Just to note one more issue, doctors 20 times better than him can be found within the MMC Fiasco. They happen to be British Trained and have a British passport. Apparently, that means nothing these days. The trick to obtain support is clearly to face terror charges, then to hire a barrister who uses legal technicalities to throw out vital evidence so brainbox can tell the world he is an innocent man.

Here is his solicitor tugging at the heart strings. His solicitor admits that Asha's North Staffordshire NHS Trust backed him throughout his trial. How wonderful of them. It is so touching to see that his all importan fan speech of the NHS worked like a charm. Of course, I very much doubt his colleagues would back him if he talked critically about the NHS. You see, criticisms about the NHS is currently more damning in society than associating with bombers. So lets summarise this - you have to associate with terrorists to get a glowing reference from Dr Rupert Price. Gee, I am slowly getting this gradually.

So it is interesting that his solicitor makes no mention of the Bin Laden fan material found in his room or the fact that there was evidence of friendship between the two. The public do not have access to the entire case. We are given snippets from the media and the jury verdict. The jury's verdict was made on part of the evidence as the rest was thrown out due to Paddington Green Police station's incompetence.

Rupert Price should back Dr Asha. He should also take responsibility for anything that happens to the citizens in the UK in the future. Perhaps Rupert could provide us with an explanation as to the Bin Laden material found in Asha's room.

In summary, there are many British trained doctors as good or even better than Mohammed Asha. Asha should be sent back to Jordan. His job in Coventry should be given to a MMC doctor. Just to clarify, this isn't sour grapes on my part, it is simply that I don't believe the trial vindicated him fully to my satisfaction [via evidence]. I am not into legal technicalities and moves. It is also clear the Home Office are not convinced at all.

To allow this man to work with vulnerable people in the NHS is extremely high risk at present. With respect to the General Medical Council, I believe they should retry the evidence of his links between Asha and the bombers. They should also retry the evidence regarding the Bin Laden fan material found. There is no reason why they shouldn't. Afterall, Gopakumar had all his charges dropped by the police then he was found guilty by the GMC. Asha should face the same tests.

That said, this ex terror suspect has more support than any British qualified NHS whistleblower. This includes support from the Labour Party, from the NHS campaign groups and from a set of lawyers who will turn black to white and vice versa as they know the art of reversing fortunes via a legal technicality.

The court battle is won, the public trial is yet to be won. It is Asha's character that is his biggest failing. I don't see any sincerity and that is what concerns me.

Related Links

Daily Mail.