It was a reminder that doctors cannot be exempt from punishments that the rest
of society suffer. A seller of a defective car can be charged with
manslaughter even though he never intended to cause death and sold it with the
best of intentions.
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From: [log in to unmask] on behalf of David Roberts
Sent: 20 June 1998 20:13
To: INTERNET:[log in to unmask]
Subject: Bristol-surely manslaughter too?
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 a=
ll
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 b=
ut
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 w=
ho
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, dragge=
d
through GMC and are facing a repeat with the public enquiry. And keep in=
mind nothing, not even publically hang, drawing and quartering the surgeo=
ns
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 - o=
r
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 o=
r
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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