New watchdog given power to overturn GMC acquittals
BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7443.783-a (Published 01 April 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:783All rapid responses
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The words of Mr Justice Levenson should be carefully noted by the
ministers, ex ministers, and civil servants in the Department of Health
who chose to ignore the recommendations of the Bristol Inquiry experts for
a register and regulatory body for senior managers in favour of yet
another useless, toothless, unenforced, ignored Code of Conduct that does
not serve the public interest. Why did Alan Milburn make that choice not
to set up a regulatory body that would be overseen by the CRHP? Was it
because he and others at that time did not have "confidence" that managers
would "meet the high standards that are required" in the interests of the
public when it comes to discipline and regulatory matters?
The chief executive of Dr Ruscillo's PCT can take steps to refer the
GP through a system that is open to public scrutiny yet if he or she was
to face disciplinary procedures these would be carried out behind closed
doors, assuming of course the decision was not made by the PCT board that
it would be far easier and more convenient to make a payment and move the
chief executive on elsewhere either into the public or private sector so
that the organisation could "move on". The two vastly different standards
of regulation are unacceptable and are certainly not in the public
interest from a safety point of view. Is another Bristol "club culture"
type scandal required before proper regulation of managers in both the
public and private sectors is introduced by the responsible minister Mr
Hutton? Managers should be held to account via the CRHP as well.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests
The 'Preacher' Without A 'Pulpit'
My heart sincerely goes out to Police Commissioner Sandy Forrest, the
Executive Director of the Council for the Regulation of Healthcare
Professionals (CRHP).
Had he known that it would all have sadly come to this, then he would
have (most probably) stayed at his highly progressive post at Her
Majesty's Noble Scottish Constabulary ; where there was (at least) an
'Outstandingly Profound Culture' of 'Serious Administrative Respect'.
Barely a few month's into his 'Glorious Tenure' as 'CRHP Boss' , the
public minutes of the '11th Day Of May 2004 Meeting' of the General
Medical Council (GMC) , viewable directly in the 'About Us' / 'Minutes of
Meetings' section of the GMC website , make exceedingly grave reading
indeed.
Does the 'M-Word' (Mutiny) mischievously spring to mind ? Or is
it just me and my 'Peer-Reviewed Gossip' ?
As an 'Irrepressible Regulatory Critic' who has always meekly
displayed an 'Appropriately Fragrant Set' of 'Hairless (Blameless)
Armpits' , I shall 'Innocently' quote directly from the 'Highly
Distinguished Report' of 'GMC Supremo' , (Finlay Scott) , which tersely
reads as follows:
"The (GMC) President has written to register six areas of concern:
a. CRHP's application of the section 29 test cannot be reconciled
with the assurances given during the passage of the legislation, notably
by John Hutton.
b. CRHP has failed to put in place robust processes for ensuring
consistent and appropriate application of the procedures.
c. CRHP has allowed itself to be driven by lawyers whose self
interest is evident: Lawyers are there to support policies, not drive
them.
d. CRHP has strayed so far from the intentions set out in its
consultation paper that it must be doubtful whether the consultation can
now be regarded as having been meaningful.
e. CRHP seems determined to impinge on the role of the regulator,
witness the apparent determination to undertake investigations, consider
introducing new evidence, demand exhibits and other papers etc: the fact
that something is permissible does not make it necessary or appropriate.
f. there has been a singular failure to acknowledge the commonality
of purpose that should exist between CRHP and regulators."
End Of 'Supremo Quote'...
And to think that we had all previously thought that the GMC was a
'Catfight-Free' Zone...(Not on "Great Aunty Martha's Nelly" it ain't).
Police Commissioner Forrest's abjectly pitiful situation has also
been made 'Irretrievably Worse' by the 'Appropriate Alignment' and
'Intense Consolidation' of the GMC and 10 other Bodies to form AURE ( the
Alliance of UK Health Regulators on Europe) ; which is 'Totally
Independent' of the CRHP, and obviously much more 'Vocal' , 'Expansive'
and 'Active' (than the CRHP) on matters of 'Serious Regulatory
Importance'.
The 'Exceptionally Posh' Headquarters of AURE are 'Temporarily
Stationed' within the 'Frightfully Plush Offices' of the GMC ; thereby
currently making Professor (Sir) Graeme Catto the 'Shadow Head' ( And
'Chief Opposition Leader' ) of all UK Health Regulators for a very long
time to come.
Although the stated 'Aims' , 'Composition' and 'Objectives' of both
AURE and the CRHP (superficially) seem to be 'Immensely Different Indeed',
the 'Utterly Rebellious Political Undertones' remain 'Alarmingly
Clear'...for all to gracefully behold.
The writing is on the wall : An 'Arch-Rival' to the CRHP has (since)
covertly taken over 'The Chapel Of Immaculate Regulation' ; leaving our
'Dearly Beloved Commissioner Forrest' without a ' Formidable
Administrative Pulpit' from which to effectively preach from.
Pax Vobiscum.
References:
Alliance of UK Health Regulator on Europe http ://www.aure.org.uk
Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals
http://www.crhp.org.uk
General Medical Council http://www.gmc-uk.org
Competing interests:
Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi MBBS MD MPH DSc FRIPH FACAM is also the Chairman of the General Wellness Assembly (GWA); an International Professional Body for Independent Wellness Consultants . He humbly invented the 'Omnipill'.
Competing interests: No competing interests