Dear Ray

We have not had the pleasure of meeting in person and so we know little of
one another aside from reputation, gossip and innuendo. In my book that is
never a fair way to judge a person. You persist in the mistaken belief
that I am threatening Ralph (or the Society) with legal action. If you
knew me and my history, you would understand that nothing could be further
from the truth. Allow me to enlighten you a little.

Some years ago I faced a judge and jury in a court of law over some
serious criminal charges. For three months, I and my co-accused (a
solicitor of impeccable repute) had our lives dissected and displayed for
all to see, by prosecution and defence advocates, on a daily basis. It was
not a pleasant experience. All in all, there were seventy-eight witnesses
who were called to give evidence – including family and friends – and the
stress they faced is still very much a burden to me today. I lost my home,
my practice, my wife and some members of my family to the experience and
what made it even worse was the fact that I did not commit any crime in
the first place. At the end of the prosecution’s case, the trial
collapsed, when three of the leading witnesses were found to have lied –
including a policeman and a procurator fiscal. I and my co-accused were
found not guilty and the matter was unconditionally discharged, but our
relief and joy were tempered very much by the experience. Believe me; I
know at first hand, the emotions felt by Joseph K.

When I write of ‘serious implications’ I was not inferring to a court of
law. To be honest I doubt very much if the judiciary would be particularly
enthused about pursuing a case against the Society or its officers on such
a matter as this. It would be seen as trivial in the greater scheme of
things and quite rightly so. But it does have serious implications for the
profession.

During our lifetime, we have witnessed the profession taking a number of
decisions that have impacted on all our working lives. Registered Medical
Auxiliaries; Local Analgesia; Podiatric Surgery; The Camden Accord; to
name a few. What concerns me is the process of decision making within our
community. On a personal level I feel life is all about making choices;
some of mine have been good and some truly atrocious. At the end of the
day I have to live with the consequences of my actions – good or bad. But
I have come to realise that when one makes choices, we should do so in a
manner that has reason and deliberation and honesty as the driving forces.

The decision to allow non degree/diploma practitioners parity of
membership within the Society is, I believe, one of the most important
choices that the Society has made in the history of the profession in the
U.K. I would have thought, given the magnitude of such a move, that the
entire profession should have been consulted and polled for their opinion,
yet I know of no-one who has – even amongst the Society’s membership. It
could be that I have missed something along the way. I very often do. It
could be that reasoning was made by Council and recorded in the Annual
Reports – hence my request for those documents. Perhaps a survey was
carried out amongst some of the membership too and if that was the case
then I could accept that the process has some validity. But if it wasn’t
then I would be concerned for a number of reasons which might not be
apparent at first glance.

It could very well be that the choice is a good one. I am not at all
against having a unified profession, but it needs to be done (in my
opinion) in a structured and orderly fashion which is beneficial to all
parties – including the unregistered clinician. That the Society is
offering full membership may work in its favour as the organisation offers
a greater package than any other professional body in the U.K. I am sure
that many ‘new’ members will come across and hopefully in a few years, we
might see the end of the BChA and the Alliance and the Institute (I am
aware that this will not endear me to some readers, but this is just my
personal view – apologies if I cause any offence). In that respect the
choice could be construed as ‘shrewd’.

However, in making that particular choice, at this juncture, the Society
effectively endorses the mess that the HPC legislation has caused. There
are enormous implications for public safety and confidence, and there
enormous implications for practising members and undergraduates. Without a
process of consultation and debate, the profession feels angry and
betrayed and this does no-one any favours at all.

For the record I feel that Ralph has the credentials to become a
magnificent leader of podiatry in Britain. He has the experience; the
knowledge and the manner to carry podiatry through the difficult times
ahead. It would cause me great distress to find that in a few years time,
his achievements were clouded by a defective process of decision making
over one issue such as this. Consider all the things that Mr Tony Blair
has achieved during the last eight years. How do you think history will
remember him? Primarily he will be remembered as the Prime Minister who
took the country to was on a flawed prospectus, without due consultation
and with the overwhelming opposition of those that he represents. I would
hate Ralph to be tarred with a similar brush.

That is the reason for my enquiry.

One final point. You make comment of the style of my writing and you say
that my argument is made ‘somewhat aggressively’. To the reader that
implies a meaning that I do not like – namely that of violence – and again
if you knew me better, you would understand that this is a most
inappropriate term. I would prefer ‘incisively’ instead.

With very best wishes and apologies to those who feel this has little
relevance.

Yours sincerely



Mark Russell

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