Whilst not being at all sympathetic to the surgeons performance I would
hope that colleagues would consider very carefully their response to a
manslaughter call.That would be the politically correct thing to do for all
the families but what purpose would it serve? Some people would rub
their hands in glee, I suppose. Have you any conception what hell those
surgeons and their families have gone through? And what they are facing
in the future? Does anybody really believe they operated with anything but
the best of intentions? Their professional careers are over and I assume
that means as much to them as it does to every doctor including the one who
posted the message. Just for one moment those who are calling for
manslaughter should attempt to put themselves in that position - if their
imaginations run to it. They have been dragged through the press, dragged
through GMC and are facing a repeat with the public enquiry. And keep in
mind nothing, not even publically hang, drawing and quartering the surgeons
will do anything to bring the children back but it will make some people
feel better. That is not a good enough reason.
And then, what will it do for recruitment to state of the art surgery - or
even to medicine itself? All doctors work under triple jeopardy:
complaints procedures (patient/HA/Trust), litigation and GMC. Adding a
fourth should make anyone question the sense of entering the profession or
make anyone who has survived unscathed to 50 - or less - think seriously of
retiring. I for one am getting out as soon as is practicable.
Just a few thoughts :-((((
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