WhistleblowerOut in the Cold
Yesterday, I had a number of emails from concerned folk regarding my welfare. Dr Rant had written "That’s why Dr Pal now cries in the wilderness". That kind of implied that I was a skinny, depressed, lonely, half baked doctor crying out for help - and that no one was listening! There is of course a startling difference between fact and fiction. Over the years, I have realised that the image portrayed of whistleblowers is that we are down and outs, not quite human, have no life [let alone sex] and are sad little no bodies ruminating over the past and what "may have been or could have been". I call this the Ms Haversham effect.
I should take sometime to correct some misconceived ideas about some whistleblowers. Firstly, I have never been depressed, neither have I ever been on SSRIs or any anti depressants. I have never been to see my GP to moan about my so called whistleblowing life. I lead a extremely full life and probably do more in one day then many people out there. I am not prone to being rattled by any kind of bullying or establishment tactics. I still watch Desperate Housewives and Damages plus anything else. I still read large amounts and probably have too many interests in other issues. There is a part of my private life that I keep private because it is no ones business really.
I do admit to be slightly " pissed off" in 1998 but during that time I learned that either you fight the tide against you or you sink. So, I decided that firstly, I wasn't going to be chased to Australia and secondly I wasn't going to be like your typical barndoor whistleblower image ie with no life. This is probably why I tried to work in the NHS for so many years [ which is unknown post whistleblowing].
I know the impression people have is that I write material as a product of my so called distress. I actually write Ward 87 because it is an interesting story, it is one of public interest and in the end, I do care about the past and the future. I think the person who probably understands me the best is Jobbing Doctor. He describes the way I write as tilting the establishment and ideas. And I think that is what I do best.
I am also of the view that it is vital to have a documented website of the experiences of one whistleblower. It is also important for people to understand that whistleblowers are normal people, with normal emotions and ones who lead normal lives.
Perhaps I don't fit the image of a whistleblower but the example to set here is this - the past is the past, no one can change it. The future though is always bright and can always be changed if we understand and learn from the past.
I refused to be potrayed as a person whose life is over, my life ain't over until the fat lady sings and even after the fat lady sings, there is more to life than allowing your life to be ruled by a bunch of half baked NHS managers who are so incompetent that they can't do their job. Perhaps it my sense of arrogance but if the NHS and the GMC have made it impossible for me to work, that is their loss. I am certainly not going to cry in the wilderness about it. In the end, the NHS lost a pretty good doctor because no one took the time to encourage or protect the whistleblower.
Each day for a whistleblower is a battle for survival. Once you have survived whistleblowing, you can fight and survive anything.
I should take sometime to correct some misconceived ideas about some whistleblowers. Firstly, I have never been depressed, neither have I ever been on SSRIs or any anti depressants. I have never been to see my GP to moan about my so called whistleblowing life. I lead a extremely full life and probably do more in one day then many people out there. I am not prone to being rattled by any kind of bullying or establishment tactics. I still watch Desperate Housewives and Damages plus anything else. I still read large amounts and probably have too many interests in other issues. There is a part of my private life that I keep private because it is no ones business really.
I do admit to be slightly " pissed off" in 1998 but during that time I learned that either you fight the tide against you or you sink. So, I decided that firstly, I wasn't going to be chased to Australia and secondly I wasn't going to be like your typical barndoor whistleblower image ie with no life. This is probably why I tried to work in the NHS for so many years [ which is unknown post whistleblowing].
I know the impression people have is that I write material as a product of my so called distress. I actually write Ward 87 because it is an interesting story, it is one of public interest and in the end, I do care about the past and the future. I think the person who probably understands me the best is Jobbing Doctor. He describes the way I write as tilting the establishment and ideas. And I think that is what I do best.
I am also of the view that it is vital to have a documented website of the experiences of one whistleblower. It is also important for people to understand that whistleblowers are normal people, with normal emotions and ones who lead normal lives.
Perhaps I don't fit the image of a whistleblower but the example to set here is this - the past is the past, no one can change it. The future though is always bright and can always be changed if we understand and learn from the past.
I refused to be potrayed as a person whose life is over, my life ain't over until the fat lady sings and even after the fat lady sings, there is more to life than allowing your life to be ruled by a bunch of half baked NHS managers who are so incompetent that they can't do their job. Perhaps it my sense of arrogance but if the NHS and the GMC have made it impossible for me to work, that is their loss. I am certainly not going to cry in the wilderness about it. In the end, the NHS lost a pretty good doctor because no one took the time to encourage or protect the whistleblower.
Each day for a whistleblower is a battle for survival. Once you have survived whistleblowing, you can fight and survive anything.
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