The Spectacular GMC " F*** up" [that is not admitted].

GMC Message

The farcical nature of the General Medical Council is exhibited below by me. The GMC investigated me for 6 months only to find out that I was indeed a Psychiatrist, something they had accepted in 2000-2004. Their allegation was that I was to be investigated because I used the term " Psychiatrist" without being on the specialist register. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry at this statement because I initially thought the GMC must be joking.

Of course, they were not joking, they were being deadly serious. As matters evolved, I discovered that Anna Neill, their air headish Assistant Registrar did not know that the vast majority of the workforce who were not on the Specialist Register were also referred to as"Psychiatrists" by the National Health Service. Investigating this resulted in the loss of my job [ which apparently the GMC isn't responsible for] and discord with the Trust. This incompetence left me with a nice present which means that despite a cleared complaint, I will have to declare this to all and sundry in every application form, medical or non medical. This is the post Shipman effect.

This is a source of great amusement for the General Medical Council and the complainant but I consider it a devastating blow for doctors in general. If the GMC cannot understand the term" psychiatrist" what can they understand? The GMC case examiners finally put a stop to the General Medical Council's stupidity and agreed with me after they lazed around on my pre-action protocols. All well and good, but where does that leave me with my job and my references? What do I say, " I was fired because the GMC fucked up big time - again". Or shall I say that " The GMC keep fucking up repeatedly, once in 2004, then the breach of Data Protection Act which they apologised for then the 2004 discreet inquiries which they apologised for [ the distress bit only] and now this". People get tired of hearing about how crap the GMC really are.

This is what happens when you deal with a regulatory body whose intelligence level is far below that of an amoeba.

It raises the question, can the GMC deal with anything properly? Some years ago, the GMC themselves admitted that they had duty to be fair to the doctor. What they practise and what they preach are two different issues. I resent the fact that the GMC's failure to understand the term " Psychiatrist" cost me rather a lot. Afterall, this is the highest regulatory body in the land and they failed to appraise themselves of the way of the NHS. There is no reason I should pay for their incompetence. Of course, the reality is that I have paid for their incompetent and reckless behaviour. Then I believe the GMC relishes in the idea that doctors suffer. It is a kind of sick malevolent pleasure that they derive from causing others grief.

For the sake of my friends on Doctors4Justice.net, I penned the entertaining missive below. The missive is designed to show the stupidity of the General Medical Council and the judiciary to a certain extent. The case finally ended up in court in a further comedic event. R v General Medical Council Ex Parte Pal . As Arpad Toth tells me, " Rita you misunderstand the judicial system, you are going into a casino" :). The email below summarises the fairly amusing evidence on the " psychiatrist" issue. My argument is that the GMC should not have investigated the matter. The GMC's argument of course is that " We fucked up and we don't want to be blamed for it". Thats alright, we can just blame you online.

By the way, just to clarify a point, when you have faced as much stupidity by the GMC as I have, your rate of expletives becomes proportional to the GMC's stupidity. Those who have experienced this will understand what I mean. This post was written to outline the stupidity of the GMC for those who are facing revalidation etc. The situation at the GMC is probably worse than this and it doesn't give us faith in Registered Medical Practitioners Fitness to Practise issues or Medical Student Fitness to Practise issues.

----- Original Message -----
From: Rita Pal
To: ndickson@gmc-uk.org ; doctors4justice-@googlegroups.com ; Jack Straw1 ; Jack Straw2
Cc: Neil Marshall (020 7189 5153) ; Cowlin, Martyn ; Emma Kelly-Dempster
Sent: Saturday, February 20, 2010 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: "Psychiatrist"


Dear All,

Further to my email below describing the bizarre behaviour of the General Medical Council, the BMJ refers to Dr Osbourne as a " psychiatrist". The enclosed document has the title "Psychiatrist accused of dishonesty for prescribing drugs to a patient under a false name". In the interest of equality, I invite the GMC to investigate Fiona Godlee of the BMJ for falsely referring to a " Psychiatrist as a Psychiatrist" because Dr Osborne is not on the " specialist register" [ justification by the GMC for a 6 month investigation on a British Asian].

It has to be said that the GMC exceeded themselves. Having accepted the term " Psychiatrist" for me in the transcripts of Pal v GMC 2004 and accepted the numerous references that referred to me as a "Psychiatrist" in 2004, they then took up a complaint for 6 months in order to establish whether I was a " Psychiatrist" because the GMC themselves didn't know what a psychiatrist was. Their own GMC panellist Michelle Shepherd, my previous referee referred to me as a " Psychiatrist" by letter. Counsel for the GMC Mark Shaw QC who also works with the Attorney General referred to me as a " Psychiatrist doctor" :) in his adjournment application dated 26th February 2009. The GMC was then asked by email about the definition of a Psychiatrist. This is what they stated " A Psychiatric doctor - or psychiatrist - is a doctor who has undergone basic medical training then specialises in psychiatry, that is treating people affected by mental illness" [ Email reference SR1242890776 ].

Indeed, in the interests of equality by ethnicity and workforce, I invite the GMC to investigate ALL "Psychiatrists" who are not on the " specialist register" and not " affiliate members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists". According to the Department of Health statistics, there are a fair number of " Junior Psychiatrists" [see email below]. I therefore officially request that the GMC investigate more than 1000 Psychiatrists as per the terms set out by R v GMC Ex Parte Pal. The judgment by Collins J suggested that any allegation "capable" of being "misconduct" should be investigated under Stream 1. In the event, no investigation takes place, everyone would be interested in the reasons why such investigations have not taken place and which analysis of "misconduct" has been used by the GMC this time.

I enclose the Department of Health statistics below. Perhaps Niall Dickson would like to read the words " Psychiatrist" as listed below by the Department of Health. Indeed, if Collins J could read statements by claimants instead of concentrating on his " sunny days" [ as referred to at the end of his judgment] then it would be a plus for all litigants in the United Kingdom. Reading is a great skill rarely bestowed upon those paid by the tax payer. The above information is part of the public record for R v GMC Ex Parte Pal and placed in front of Collins J.

In conclusion, the complainant, a ex criminal and jail bird known to have made more than 60 complaints to the GMC did not know what a Psychiatrist was due to her low education level, the GMC itself didn't know what a psychiatrist was because lets face it, the GMC has got got anything right for centuries and finally the Judiciary, in this case Collins J whose [brother Mark Collins is a Psychiatrist] did not know what a Psychiatrist was. It should be noted that Collins J has spent sometime editing the rules of the Royal College of Psychiatrists as admitted by him at the hearing of R v GMC Ex Parte Pal. This is why the Rules fail to make sense upside down and the right way up.

The above has been written for the sake of my colleagues on Doctors4Justice by way of entertainment at the dire state of the General Medical Council.

Regards

Dr Rita Pal

DOH EMAIL

27 October 2008

Dear Dr Pal

Thank you for your email of 9 October asking, under the Freedom of Information Act, for information regarding psychiatrists not on the specialist register.

The information which we hold is as follows:
The data requested is shown in the table below. The figures for 2008 will not be available until March 2009 when the next NHS Workforce Census is published and will be available on the NHS Information website, www.ic.nhs.uk/.
As at 30th September Headcount
2005 2006 2007
Associate Specialist 423 473 475
Junior Psychiatrists* 1,267 1,326 1,332
Registrar Group 1,032 1,022 2,796
Staff Grade Psychiatrists 1,073 1,236 1,245
* Counted as doctors in training

I hope that this is helpful. If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision, you should write to:
Section Head
Freedom of Information Unit
Department of Health
Room 334B
Skipton House
80 London Road
SE1 6LH
Email: freedomofinformation@dh.gsi.gov.uk

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Department. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely

Colin McDonald
FOI Manager
Customer Service Centre
Tel: 0207 210 4940