Coordinated Plans to Break Doctors

There are also doctors who have raised concerns about patient safety and whose careers and lives have suffered as a result...

For our readers to better understand, it is important to explain what the National Health Service (NHS) is. The NHS is the catch-all term for the UK's publicly funded health systems and essentially functions as a National Social Security Institution.This is a summary of an article written by Janet Eastham and Gordon Rayner and published in The Telegraph on May 15, 2024, entitled "Four-step 'playbook' reveals how the NHS silences whistleblowers".

So let's start

More than 50 doctors and nurses have been targeted after uncovering 170 patient deaths and more than 700 cases of poor care. NHS managers spent millions of pounds hiring lawyers and private detectives instead of solving the problems. According to the Telegraph article, the NHS followed a four-stage strategy to punish whistleblowers. The culture of fear in the NHS may have led some employees to shy away from raising concerns during COVID-19.

According to a Telegraph investigation, the NHS is allegedly silencing whistleblowing healthcare professionals with a "four-step 'playbook'" strategy after doctors raised concerns about patient safety. Different NHS trusts and clinics are reported to treat whistleblowers similarly, and many doctors see this as a systemic problem. Bullying and harassment by managers and colleagues leads to cover-ups. Law firms and private investigators are often commissioned to investigate whistleblowers and are often dismissed.

Doctors are forced to resign under professional and financial pressure, after protracted internal investigations, disciplinary hearings and legal battles. Many doctors with years of experience are struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. Some sign confidentiality agreements, seek justice in the High Court or employment tribunals, leave the NHS for the private sector or leave the profession altogether.

Step 1: Investigate the whistleblower

The Telegraph reports that NHS employers are scrutinizing the behavior of whistleblowers rather than the issues they raise. Of the 52 health workers surveyed, 41 said they had been questioned and faced accusations after sharing concerns. Only 28 said their employers had carried out investigations into patient safety, and where they had, the majority expressed serious concerns about the processes.

The whistleblowers were vetted by private auditors and outside law firms, often including former police officers. Doctors were subjected to a Medical Ethics and Professional Standards review, which is usually expected to be concluded in six weeks but often takes longer. In an interview with The Telegraph, a consultant said that the MHPS process gave hospital management wide powers, while a maxillofacial surgeon said that it put constant stress on doctors and caused them distress.

Step 2: Bullying and intimidation

The Telegraph reported that out of 52 doctors who stated that they were victims of harassment, discrimination, bullying or threats, 16 were unfairly referred to mental health services, while 5 were harassingly referred to the police, social services and HM Revenue and Customs. It was reported that bullying and threats were made to break the will of doctors and cause psychological harm.

Step 3: Weaponization of General Medical Council referrals

According to the Telegraph, the General Medical Council (GMC) is being used by some NHS managers to silence whistleblowing doctors. Of the 22 whistleblowing doctors who have been referred to the GMC 30 times, only two have been brought to a hearing. Nine doctors said they had received threats that they would be referred to the GMC if they did not withdraw their complaints or if they continued to raise concerns about patient safety. In addition, one doctor testified anonymously that he had been referred to the GMC seven times following an employment case he won in 2018.

These referrals led to three investigations, but none of these proceeded to court. In each case, the regulator ruled that there was no case to take forward; nevertheless, on the advice of the GMC, the individuals concerned applied for either early retirement or voluntary withdrawal from the medical register.

In 2014, the GMC appointed a retired judge to investigate the whistleblowers' actions. Doctors have indicated that some referrals to the GMC may have been retaliatory and could have been used as part of a campaign against doctors. To minimize such risks, regulators have made it mandatory for referred doctors to disclose whether they have expressed concerns about patient safety and whether these concerns have been considered.

Step 4: Demotion, discipline and dismissal

Hospitals and clinics can use a variety of sanctions to silence or fire doctors who raise concerns about patient safety. According to an interview in The Telegraph, 25 of the 52 whistleblowers were disciplined, 19 were suspended and 16 were fired. One nurse, who said she faced 'bully status' after being sacked, said her family was deeply upset. Other whistleblowers faced more subtle forms of punishment, including demotion, unfavorable changes in conditions, salary cuts, excessive workload and resignation.

Two experienced consultant anesthesiologists say they had to reapply for training supervisor positions they had held for years. While these consultants had been supervising trainees for over a decade, they found that their hospital had selected two younger consultants for the same roles. What's more, their annual leave entitlements were restricted by a new calculation method applied only to them. One of the consultants, who followed the rules exactly, says that despite all this, he was unable to take leave.

Readers may wonder, "How do recent developments in the UK affect Turkey?" In Turkey, during the pandemic that began in 2019, many doctors and academics who opposed the vaccine and PCR testing were subjected to investigations. In academic circles, those in favor of the vaccine and PCR testing have been promoted, while those opposed have faced promotion barriers and some are still under investigation.

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