BMA - YOU ARE FULL OF SH**T

BMA - Same Sh*t Different Day

That title was one taken out of Dr Rant's book of words. Every junior doctor is aware that the BMA are as much use as a limp lettuce leaf. We must remember that the BMA were embroiled in the Harold Shipman saga and nearly placed the trial in jeopardy. They were also the organisation who backed Viagra when they should have been backing cancer drugs etc. They have never represented whistleblowers adequately. In the old days, even their lawyers were found guilty of professional misconduct by the Law Society.

Here they are swanning around in the Health Service Journal telling the world how much they support us whistleblowers. This is the BMA's study

"Nearly half of hospital doctors who reported a patient safety, malpractice or bullying concern to trust managers were left in the dark about whether anything had happened as a result, a British Medical Association survey has found.The BMA said three quarters of the 565 doctors surveyed for a report, Speaking up for patients, had experienced a concern at some point in their careers.But of the 70 per cent who raised the concern with their trust, 46 per cent said they were unaware anything had happened as a result, 15 per cent were not approached for further information and 9 per cent said the information they provided was shared more widely than they were comfortable with.And 16 per cent said they had been warned that by speaking up, their employment could be negatively affected".

And what did the BMA ever do to assist me? Ah yes, we do remember that. They left me in North Staffordshire NHS Trust and watched while the entire management attempted to eat me up for dinner. To this day, they have never done anything to represent me and the issues related to Ward 87 despite my requests to them. Indeed, their action is to summarily to ignore me. We can understand why. It can't be great for a Trade Union to be seen as being unsupportive to a whistleblower and for that whistleblower to have been right [ No thanks to them].

And this is what the BMJ/BMA wrote in the year 2000. That was nine years ago and quelle surprise, there has been no change in the system. Why is that we wonder? Lets recap shall we of how the BMA deals with whistleblowers. They are the worst trade union this side of the UK.

The original documentation can be reviewed here.

Membership number at the time 7512239 Dr Rita Pal . BMA RECORDS

16.11.1998 " Dr Pal came in to see at 11 and discussed probs at N Staffs. Wld like me to deal with matter on her behalf and with Trust" ( Rox Kozar)

28.11.1998 " There is a formal investigation being held into "needlestick injury". The Trust is going back on their word"

28.11.1998 " Cleaner has needlestick injury and made a formal complaint. Two investigations will be taking place. MPS has stated wil not provide representation. Dr P wants me to ring Annette Stevens stating that she wants transfer or will resign. Had stated that Dr P comes back for 5 days and the will organise transfer. Tomorrow is last day.

14.12.1998 " Sorry Rox, took this call a little while ago, so Dr Pal may have already called you back and go through. Says she has been ringing since last week, ad is returning a call.

14.1.1999 " Has been trying to speak to Rox for sometime Re information faxed to her on 30.11.98. Said sent Rox a statement regarding problems she had which was also copied to her PG tutor Re post she resigned from last year as HO at City General. Wants to know legal standing on issues raised-said she would get back her ( or Rona would once had found file - I knew nothing about the case ( Jenny Cavalot)

19.1. 1999 " She wants proper legal advice and assistance in respect of the Trusts dealing on this matter. This sounds like a potential constructive dismissal claim although I did not raise this with her. She is a difficult member, complained of lack of advice from and support from the BMA. "( Gary Tobin)

21.1.1999 " Advised that Rona Miller CD not deal with this issue as potential conflict of interest. Therefore as Dr P does not want RK, to deal with it I hope to confirm tomorrow whether DM in Manchester can deal with it or alternatively MAP. She will not wait, wants advice now as meeting with consultant tomorrow and BMA have done nothing for months ( Gary Tobin)

26.1.1999 " MAP telephone Dr Pal on 21.1.1999. Lengthy conversation with Dr Pal. House officer at North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust. Got a problem concerning H and S regarding disposal of needles. A cleaner pricked herself. Investigation both by Trust and by HSE. Additionally complained about lack of supervision, lack of staff, lack of support and difficult working conditions. Requested transfer. Eventually resigned. Now a PRHO in General Practice. Appears to have made herself most unpopular with the Trust. Has no right to claim unfair dismissal because she has only worked worked for a few months.

"This seems to be on the basis of the conversation with Dr Pal to be a genuine case of a young doctor who should be protected for sticking up for her rights or in the alternative perhaps she is genuinely a pain in the backside- impossible to judge at the moment"( Sally McGranaghan BMA)

4.4.2000 Member has now resigned

Just for the record, I was also one of the doctors who was left in the dark about the outcome of the investigations into my concerns. The GMC and the Trust purposely concealed the three reports from me until I forced it out of them in 2005 with great difficulty. The Trust and the GMC were quite happy to make everyone including the media assume that there were no basis to my concerns. Even now, the only copy I have is a redacted copy of the 2001 report. Pages have been blacked out. The Department of Health and the Trust refuse to allow me to review the entire copy.

Should the crappy BMA wish to represent me in the above, they are welcome to. Of course, they won't but then the next time I am on TV, I am going to advertise the contempt with which the BMA deals with junior doctors/whistleblowers. If anyone finds the Sky News footage in April 2000 - I tell the interviewer there that the BMA did not assist in the issue of Ward 87.

In my view, writing about them is a much better way of accountability than actually suing them and having a gagging clause put on me. Litigation is no justice of course - not for the useless reps at the BMA anyway.