Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden, Chair of The Doctors’ Association UK has replied to Mr Charlie’s Massey’s letter to DAUK on the 13th September. DAUK welcomes Mr Massey’s apology for the anguish and uncertainty the GMC’s actions and subsequent proceedings have had on Dr Bawa-Garba, the wider profession, and of course Jack’s family. We also will be taking up Mr Massey’s offer to meet DAUK to discuss our concerns and our work on Learn Not Blame.
In our letter DAUK also:
-expresses concern regarding the news that the GMC has continued to appeal MPTS verdicts following the judgment in Bawa-Garba v GMC
-expresses concern that this week Lord Justice Bean urged that the GMC show ‘restraint’ when exercising this power in the judgment of Raychaudhuri v GMC on the 14th September, and in discussing the case appeal judges expressed ‘regret that it was brought’.
-expresses concern that the GMC is currently appealing the MPTS verdicts of four doctors in the courts in order to impose a higher sanction. DAUK has asked Mr Massey to grateful clarify if this is indeed the case.
-states that we still do not feel that doctors, the patient safety community and the public, have been provided with a clear understanding of how the GMC came to the decision to appeal the MPTS verdict in Dr Bawa-Garba’s case, or indeed the processes which the GMC follows when deciding to appeal the MPTS verdicts of other doctors’ cases.
-confirms that Dr Sarah Wollaston has informed us the Health Select Committee will hold an evidence session on gross negligence manslaughter and patient safety in the Autumn.
-informs Mr Massey that we will be urging the Government to move forward with the legislative changes needed to repeal the relevant amendment to Section 40A that allows the GMC to appeal MPTS verdicts in a timely matter.
-calls upon Massey to cease appealing MPTS verdicts urgently.
-supports the petition started by Dr Jenny Vaughan that calls on the GMC to ensure that the court fees awarded to Dr Bawa-Garba are not paid for from the subscription fees of the doctors who supported her.
-extends an invitation to both Mr Massey and Professor Terence Stephenson to the formal launch of our Learn Not Blame campagin in Westminster hosted by Dr Philippa Whitford MP in November.
