The Rule of Law

The Rule of Law is a very readable little book by Baron Bingham of Cornhill, who was Master of the Rolls, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and Senior Law Lord of the United Kingdom.
The cover of the book is quite sexy and also provocative in other ways. I like the crown drawn on the head of statue of Justice in gold colour. It makes me think of The Rule of Law as a bit of a joke and also as a very serious comment on injustice all of us have experienced.
Baron Bingham writes well and I appreciated his historical introduction to the concept of the rule of the law. The passages on Magna Carta show passion as Baron Bingham writes that Chapters 39 and 40 of Magna Carta have the power to make the blood race:
39. No free man shall be seized or imprisoned or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.
40. To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.
Baron Bingham really appears to have the point that this should be inscribed on the stationary of Ministry of Justice and the Home Office until one considers such things as the fact that now people travel freely and there has to be some limit as to who can seek justice and for what in UK.
Now, what about wars and the fact that UK is always at war somewhere? Baron Bingham states that war in Iraq is illegal and gives his reasons as to why this is the case. This issue is of interest to many people.
When I enrolled for a course in politics with a great title "Power and Dissent" I learned that, in fact, a country could wage a war for economical reasons only and that this is legal, but the exact circumstances were not outlined during my course. I guess the assumption is: only legally so... Everybody knows that Iraq has plenty of oil, but not many people know that having adequate oil supply is what determines the outcome of other wars as fuel is required for vehicles, tanks, airplanes etc. The fact that one country alone has been involved in at least 40 military actions in 25 years all over the world says something of its need for fuel and the need to control the supply in order to maintain its power. It is believed that one of the reasons why the Second World War was won is because Russians had their oil supply and Germans lacked sufficient supplies. Those who know the history of the oil wars would also know that many English people did die trying to get Russian oil too, in the past. This is not in Baron Bingham's book, of course. Today, the relationships are different between superpowers.
It is thought that English people originate from Saxons. The word Saxons originates from word sac which means quarrel. During old Persian Empire Saxons were regarded as lawless and quarrelsome lot. In Azerbaijan there is even a town called Sac. It is thought by some that this is where Saxons lived before their migration to Europe. The origin of world Saxon is not discussed in the book by Baron Bingham and I do not say writer should have done it. However, it is fascinating to me that people who have been regarded as lawless and quarrelsome for thousands of years have also been very successful materially, at least. It seems to show that one can get away with murders on a largish scale. Eventually, one remembers that law can be used occasionally when it suits, I guess.
There are many things one can learn from this book and I would recommend it, of course.
One also learns from things not in the book as the reader can choose to examine oneself or remember own experiences of seeking justice. I did this in a number of areas. The most obvious is that as a doctor I always did what was in the best interests of my patients and public. When as a whistleblower I became the target of reprisals and humiliations (and medical regulator gladly took part in it), I went to the courts for protection in the most honest belief that there was such a thing as the rule of law. I did not find it and neither did many others, as it is mob (in the case of medical whistleblowers) that wins in England. Today, mob does not throw stones or sticks or rotten garbage at the accused. They have courts to protect them and to kill the target for them with false allegations, nicely coordinated for the purpose of cover ups of e.g. medical errors or their own selfishness or politics of the day.
There is no Rule of Law in UK today, as far as I can see from my own experiences and efforts to get justice for about 11 years now. The High Court is servile to The General Medical Council (GMC), for example, and its own prejudices. It rubber stamps GMC decisions because that is the easiest thing to do and maybe, it is good for judges' career to please political masters of the day rather than comply with law. The Royal Courts of Justice allow Human Rights abuses to go on for many years and so does medical profession, their defence bodies and union. Everybody is so thoroughly institutionalised that one is tempted to come to the wrong conclusion that there are no intelligent people left in UK. The Royal Courts of Justice are also sexist, racist and religiously biased just like medical regulators. We know that and they know that we know that. The Royal Courts of Justice are forced to function in outdated buildings with outdated procedures matching the outdated attitudes. Did I miss reading about that in Baron Bingham's book?
The Rule of Law is very readable book and the issues are well presented and I would recommend you buy it. You may wish to read it again. It is the most readable law book I read so far. You will enjoy some of his recommendations for changes and smile wryly (as he does on the back cover) at his comment that European Court of Human Rights has many cases: "The most pressing problem now, however, is not whether the scope of the Convention should be enlarged but whether the Strasbourg court can handle the huge volume of cases currently brought before it". Well, a good measure of punishment could make courts function better. Should the judges be fined too when they mess up big time with attitudinal problems in full knowledge of the law and facts? If doctors are responsible for mistakes they make and have to compensate their victims why not judges?

Political Dissidents and Psychiatric Examinations

It is extremely easy to become a political dissident. It requires no desire to be so and no decision to become it. One can quite simply do one's job and find that one has become a political dissident. It can happen to people who regard themselves as apolitical.

Contrary to the view of many people in the West who imagine, for example, that all Russian dissidents were opposing Communism, some were very committed to it in a way that others thought was rather naive. Major-General Pyotr Grigorenko, a much decorated Red Army commander (photo on left) did annoy the authorities when he objected to lavish lifestyle and jobs for life in case of senior communist party officials. He was diagnosed as: "psychological illness in the form of paranoid development of personality....His psychological condition was characterised by the presence of reformist ideas, particularly for the reorganisation of the state apparatus." He was hospitalised for one year and on release his mind not cleared from reformist delusions he got into human rights protests. He was warned by KGB General Svetlichny: "If you go out into the street, even without disturbing the traffic, with banners reading "Long Live the Central Committee!", we shall still put you in lunatic asylums."

As General Grigorenko continued his activities he was tricked to a meeting, put into a cell and subjected to three hour psychiatric examination which was normal according to Professor Detengof. KGB men unhappy with this absence of psychiatric diagnosis decided that they can only rely on Serbsky Institute in Moscow, where Dr Morozov and Professor Lunts subsequently obliged by making diagnosis of paranoid personality development and confined him for five years of compulsory inpatient treatment.

Not all psychiatrists worked in Paranoia Factory as Frances Wheen calls it in his excellent book "Strange Days Indeed, The Golden Age of Paranoia". There was some resistance with gross sarcasm as in the case of a Latvian farmer who was hospitalised because he said that Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia was bad for communist image. His psychiatrist wrote:

"He states that never under any circumstances will he abandon the idea of fighting for a communist system and socialism. On the basis of the above, the commission finds that Yakhimovich displays paranoid development of psychopathic personality".

Very much the same themes have been occurring in British psychiatry for at least the last twelve years, in the attempts of the medical regulators to control political dissent amongst medical doctors. Doctors' crimes are a bit like that of General Grigorenko in that they just want things to be better for their patients. Sometimes, they want things to be better for junior doctors' training too.

The regulators are fond of forensic psychiatrists who tend to be authoritarian and thus more suitable for use in intimidation of eg whistleblowers.

When psychiatric examinations are used for political dissidents the purpose is the same as in Stalinist Russia: to install fear, undermine confidence and ultimately discredit and bring under control while preserving the power base of the less competent. It is really simple.

Even if one finds support from independent psychiatrists, the medical regulator is not happy just like KGB was not happy in the case of Grigorenko. Long term psychiatric monitoring for years is used in the form of sanctions on professional practice. So doctor may not be hospitalised, but is unemployed, staying at home and under obligation to be supervised by psychiatrists despite never having any mental illness whatsoever. If they write blogs, these are monitored, articles read, downloaded and filed, like this one will be.

Humiliating requests are made for the doctor to write his/her own Personal Development Programme with respect to Anger Management, Team working and Improvements in Communication Skills. One is essentially asked to conform to poor practices one protested about in order not to demand any social change. In my case, I objected to the wearing of religious uniforms when working with mentally ill.

Thus, absence of psychiatric symptomatology is made up for by the regulator into pseudo psychological personality/relationship problems that do not exist.

Doctors' perfectly normal language expression is said to be showing the evidence of psychotic thought disorder. In my case, Professor of Psychiatry recently honoured by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London stated that starting a sentence with a word "but" was evidence of a psychotic thought disorder. According to this criteria, all the best (and not the best) English writers from William Shakespeare to others are psychotic. My favourite example is from Mark Twain who started at least five sentences on two pages in one of his books with a word "but".

Sadistic behaviour by some psychiatrists is allowed to continue for many years despite the complaints by professionals and the person doing it is even honoured by the establishment.

Laughable diagnosis are resurected from the ashes on the floor of Paranoia Factory in England such as Querolous Paranoia for the dissdent doctors. Disagreeing with hospital managment eg on the issue of junior doctors' training can lead to it. In fact, anything.

So what is new? Well, Internet is new. Russian dissidents had to publish themselves their work in print and then had to distribute it. Later on Grigorenko founded organisation for the study of the totalitarian regimes which is in New York where he was exiled. I do not know if there is such a thing in England.

Protest against Pope's Visit in London on 18th September 2010

When I went to one of the first protests against the planned Pope's visit to UK there were only about fifty of us standing outside in the cold, on a rather windy day in March 2010. Now look at the picture. Thousands.

As we marched from Hyde Park Corner down Piccadilly people kept joining in, stepping down from the pavements and mixing with us. There were celebrities walking just in front of me e.g. Professor Richard Dawkins and various people from media. As we chanted: " Children's rights are Human Rights", children were joining us on their bicycles. Mothers joined with children in pushchairs and Dads with babies in their arms.

There were women's rights protesters, homosexual and transgender Human Rights Activists, as well as those opposed to racism. Pro-science lobby was there as well with some protesters carrying placards saying: "I believe in Science".

People waved from balconies, cars and buses in support. Some cooks in a posh Piccadilly restaurant got their napkins made into Papal hats as they waved to us from their balcony.

The organizers did not expect so many people to turn up so when we arrived at Downing Street we had to spread all the way down to Parliament Square and up to Trafalgar Square.

Recent Pope's attack on atheist being cause of Nazism was quickly dispelled by Professor Dawkins who read a paragraph from Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler and reminded all that Hitler was a Roman Catholic.

I looked around and noticed people dressed as giant condoms with placards pointing to Pope's role in the spread of AIDS because of his opposition to contraception. Many condoms were made into balloons. Protesters chanted: "Contraception saves lives! Contraception saves lives!"

Some gay people wore pink Papal hats. There was a Papesse as well made up as a witch.

Large group of Japanese adolescent visiting London waved in support in Haymarket.

There was a huge amount of international media presence and many, many photographs were taken.

Police were quite nervous at the start of the demonstration as they could see a very, very large crowd forming right behind them. Two helicopters hovered above us as if permanently suspended in two fixed spots over Picadilly. They got a good view so they were not moving on.

Educational activists joined in some carrying placards that all religious education is a form of child abuse: teaching untruths to vulnerable.

I carried the large banner (Canadian Holocaust) with two of the Teddie Bears given to me by my patients looking over the banner. Press took many photographs. But did you see any? Reverend Kevin Annett, himself was there. A brave man, indeed, whose integrity must be remembered.

Speakers outlined Pope Ratzinger's knowledge of child abuse scandals and how he covered up for them for many years. Police were asked to arrest him. They averted their eyes from us as protesters shouted: And all British Prime Ministers knew about it.

Some protesters and speakers came all the long way from USA and Canada. Victims of abuse by clergy spoke of their ordeal what it involved, shame and guilt and pain for so many years.

Progressive Catholics (including some priests) joined the protest and spoke of the need for reform.

Vatican was not accepted as a state by the protesters.

Unionists were collecting signatures against the proposed government cuts pointing that government was wasting money on this state visit.

Please, sign this Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?jy3u4632

Pope's historic visit and Tartan Knickers designed by Prince Phillip

On this lovely day, Prince Phillip designed, at least, in his mind new Pope tartan knickers. He asked a female politician if there were knickers in the same tartan. What a brilliant commercial idea. Prince Phillip is totally wasted in his current abode. I think, he would make a great marketing man! He is already recognized as talented artist and read here about his design prize which has been going on for some time.

He must have been so bored at yet another ceremony today (16-9-2010) when during Pope's visit to Scotland, a new Pope tartan was presented to a Vatican official.

Prince Phillip has the brains this country does not appreciate.

He is the only member of the Establishment who made me think what may or may not be worn as underwear at some Vatican Party. Historically, Vatican is well known for some of the wildest parties.

As far as I know, this Pope visit was not something the Queen asked for, but was forced by the previous Prime Minister, Mr Anthony Blair. He was a secret Catholic during his premiership just like many other people in British institutions who prospered during his time.

There have been provocative actions and statements by the religious lot during Mr Blair's years which led to persecution of doctors, for example, on some scale before the General Medical Council. Doctors' fees paid for it and the money for the fees came from the tax payers as most doctors work in state institutions and subscribe to the politics of the day.

There are now about one million men raped by clergy world-wide and the British Establishment cannot face up to it yet. In British state and religious institutions religious uniforms can be worn when working with mentally ill some of whom would have Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and would react badly to reminders of trauma such as religious clothing. Men raped by clergy can experience panic attacks characterized by palpitations, shortness of breath, fear of going mad, nausea, dizziness and other symptoms when encountering the reminders of trauma (religious uniforms are reminders). Those who experience panic attacks have twice as high risk of myocardial infarction. Yes, it is a real Health and Safety issue.

Vatican covered up for the child abuse on large scale and we know it.

This Utube music video is not in English. but I think it is something to do with how men feel about child abuse at the hands of clergy. Good music rhythm.

Canon lawyer Thomas Doyle was sacked for his criticism of the Vatican Law Crimen Solicationis. which ordered clergy to keep the crimes secret and raped children were threatened with excommunications.

When I raised the issue of the wearing of religious uniforms when working with mentally ill, General Medical Council had Profesor Catto (Catholic name) as President who just hushed the whole thing up and certainly did not refer it to any Ethics committee.

Here is a petition you may wish to sign:

Petition to Ban Religious Uniforms when working with mentally ill

Lesson1: Teaching the Compare and Contrast Essay Modeling Dr Wendy Chapman and Dr Peter Jefferys

Photograph by Ray Willmott, Daily Telegraph

Here is Dr Wendy Chapman. medical doctor, who was found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council, (GMC) UK for cutting the lip of Mr Tom Williams, a Harlequins rugby player to cover up for his faked blood injury.

She was suspended for one year by GMC, now reinstated with conclusion that her fitness to practice is no longer impaired and that she did what she did because she was severely depressed. Well, dishonesty is not considered a symptom of depression although, of course, people with low self-esteem do lie, as well as those whose character can be described as immature.

GMC can be very partial to dishonest doctors. One of those is Dr Peter Jefferys, a veteran Expert Witness, well known for making false allegations against professionals, preferably women and, I would guess, not that fond of those who have come from the minority ethnic group judging by his work on Section 12(2) Approval Criteria for NHS London.

Unlike Dr Chapman who cut the man who wanted to be cut, Dr Peter Jefferys persecuted people who did not want to be persecuted. He contributed, by his faulty decision making to serious harm to patients (including one death by suicide in a detained patient when he unfairly sacked patients' consultant).

GMC did not suspend Dr Peter Jefferys and did not investigate him, and did not expect him to declare himself mad in order to escape the consequences of his abuse of power. GMC gave him the job to sit on Fitness to Practice Panels judging other doctors. GMC pays him even today.

So, little children, for your homework compare and contrast the treatment of these two doctors to answer this question:

1. When does honesty matter?

2. Does it really matter overall for anyone?

3. Why was the character of Pinocchio made in the form of a puppet? Why made out of wood? Why was Pinocchio, which means pine nut given that name and not walnut? Compare a pine nut with a walnut.

4. Who plays with puppets?
Extra homework for the talented:

Why was Mr Stephen Brennan, physiotherapist struck off? He did not cut anyone, but provided fake blood capsules over the years for Harlequins players. He was struck off by Health Professions Council.

Some members of Fitness to Practice Panel at GMC work at Health Professions Council.

Now he has won his appeal but to face the same panel. The High Court Judge did not agree with the good arguments put forward , I thought, from Mr Brennan's lawyers that the panel may be biased against him if the same panel whose decision was overturned has to impose sanctions on him now. Oh, dear, here we go again.

That is the end of lesson 1.

Virginia Jibowu. Kings College London Under Fire

Multiple concerns about Kings College London Medical School have been raised. The General Medical Council and every other authority have refused to investigate the evidence presented. The social experiment and EMDP should be banned by the General Medical Council. Those of us who are aware of the lax attitude of the GMC will be aware that the GMC never acts unless it has to. Kings College London Medical School appears to be institutionally racist yet everyone has turned a blind eye to the legitimate and evidence based concerns raised by Virginia Jibowu.

NAKED TRUTH

Ms Naked Truth, UK Whistleblower wanted to meet with some government officials to yes, you guessed it, tell them some true things. They declined but we noticed that NHS's Dave is not wearing his tie on some official photos and that is as far as NHS Dave would go. He wants to be safe.

Another Dave is enjoying good family life, and the garden too. We wonder if it is designed according to Zen philosophy according to which only evil spirits travel in straight line. Therefore, in a small garden one would position stones and rocks to emulate a meandering stream. There is no need to have water, it is left to one's imagination.

Meanwhile. in the land of whistleblowers imagination is very much in place by dreaming of a better world and finding means to survive in a system where abuse of power is still much in evidence.

Dr Hassan and Master Degree in Disaster Psychiatry

Dr Nidal Hassan has a Master's Degree in Disaster Psychiatry and yet he is alleged to have killed 14 people and wounded 32 at a military base in USA where he worked as army psychiatrist. Military trial is due to start on 12-10-2010 and it is thought that application will be made for death penalty. Last time this was done was 50 years ago i.e. a soldier got death penalty from USA army.

It is thought that defence would be that he suffered harassment prior to the shootings, was refused discharge from the army when he asked for it and that he suffered secondary Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (ptsd) from exposure to soldiers in his army psychiatric practice. He requested at one point that some of his patients be prosecuted for war crimes. He was a devout Muslim and the plan was to send him to Afghanistan!!!

During his psychiatric training he had to have extra counselling but was eventually passed by his supervisor.

There are various factors which are important in the development of secondary ptsd such as insufficient training, identification with victims, insufficient support in the workforce and insufficient social and familial support. It is thought by some that all four factors played their part in the case of Dr Hassan.

I cannot say for sure as I do not know the facts of the case sufficiently well.

However, there are other factors important in not being able to deal effectively when it comes to religious issues. Many people avoid such topics in fear of causing offence and I wonder what risk assessment if any was done in the case of Dr Hassan and others of whatever religion they may have had.

Another reason why there could be avoidance to do a proper risk assessment of religious employee is fear of conflict when it comes to religion. It is as if to say that anything can be said/expressed as long as it is called religion. Not so. There are laws limiting religious expression for example in European Convention of Human Rights.
USA has First Amendment in its Constitution. While there is right to express religion as an individual, US courts have interpreted that First Amendment limits what state employees can do. One can teach about religion as a teacher but not provide religious education in state schools or wear religious garb as a teacher in state school.

When it comes to limits and boundaries some people are confused and cannot work it out for themselves. In USA there are guide books on this topic (First Amendment) for teachers. I wonder what happened in USA army and if there will be a new guidance issued. I expect so after this disaster with Dr Hassan.

If American teacher can be dismissed for wearing religious garb why not a member of US army? Here is Dr Hassan wearing his religious dress (he was born in Virginia, where ironically First Amendment, I think , was written) but it is not clear form video if he did the same at his place of work when talking to his patients, soldiers. Uniforms present a barrier to communication with patients and none should have been worn when working with mentally ill. Religious dress is also a uniform, just the religious type. Doctors white coat is also a uniform and so on.

Invitation to a Protest

Members of the public remain unimpressed by the Department of Health

National Patient Groups 'Walk the Talk' about the National Health Shame and Cordially invite Andrew Lansley the Health Secretary to meet 1st September, 2010.

Mrs. Ann Reeves of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital Action Group www.gosportwarmemorialcoverup.spruz.com along with other members of her group will join forces with members of the NHS Reform Group and the NHS Complaints Exposed Group and present a petition " ELSIE'S LAW" and relevant papers to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street.

The 'Walk the Talk' will commence at the Law Courts in Aldwych, London at 12.noon 1st September, the silent protest will continue down the Strand, turn into Whitehall and proceed to Downing Street.

Mrs. Ann Reeves and her supporters from the Gosport War Memorial Hospital campaign will hand in a petition at 2.00p.m. asking for 'Elsie's Law' to be put in place to regulate the "Liverpool Care Pathway" in order to stop Drs and Nurses using the LCP for 'involuntary euthansia" :

Then Members of the NHS Reform Group www.nhsreformgroup.com and NHS Complaints Exposed Group www.nhsconmplaintsexposed.co.uk will hand in papers at 2.15p.m.

The date of this 'Walk the Talk' is significant to Mrs. Reeves and her continued Campaign for Justice for her Mother, in the fact that on this VERY day 1st September Hitlers' EUTHANASIA DECREE was drafted in 1939 AND it is the same date as when Harold Shipman the notorious euthanizing Dr. was charged with Murder in 1998. Mrs. Reeves is demanding on this same day the 1st September that Dr. Jane Barton is brought justice.

Mrs. Reeves says "My mother was NOT dying. Dr. Barton administered drugs without justification or logic" as proven by a Jury at the Portsmouth Inquest.

Mr.Miguel Cubells founding member of the NHS Reform Group says "We seek openness, transparency and justice instead of the current culture of denial. Perhaps only then can the NHS begin to 'Learn Lessons' and improve their systems across the board. We also want genuine support for NHS whistleblowers who are frequently labelled as 'troublemakers' despite the evidence to the contrary. They are subjected to hate campaigns, ostracized, criminalised, suspended and referred to Regulatory Bodies that behave like an insightless totalitarian regime.

Mrs. Janet Brooks member of NHS Complaints Exposed says "when the NHS make a serious mistake, they use every trick in the book to cover up failings. We are finding that more and more NHS Hospitals are making mistakes due to staff being inadequately trained and staffing levels being too low, but when a complaint is lodge, one finds the whole system is in denial and the complainant is damned".

SUICIDES

In the last couple of weeks three people have jumped of a bridge and killed themselves in a small town in England. Well, at least press wrote about it. There were some well publicized suicides and even two people closely involved in its construction jumped from it.

During Labour Christian leadership suicides were hidden from public and doctors. A bit like hiding own sins. We do know that unemployment can lead to depression and increased suicide rates, so I can see why the previous government would want it hidden plus suicides are regarded as sinful by some religions.

American Army has a problem with suicides too. A report came out showing a number of factors to matter such as poor disciplinary regulatory accountability. That reminds some of us of poor accountability of medical regulator for a number of years.

In USA alone a doctor kills himself/herself everyday.

Unlike British who are famously hateful of women doctors, Americans at least acknowledge that the rate of suicides is equal in male and female doctors.

Every time I drive over the suicide bridge late at night I cannot stop thinking about some desperate person standing exposed to whipping wind at great height of the bridge, not feeling it or anything anymore before jumping. It is very creepy on the nights when wisps of fog move across carriageway like transparent chiffon dress with nothing in it.

BAPIO POWER GAME

Recently BAPIO (British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) has honoured a number of people some of whom have been criticised eg Professor Paice, and Professor Bhugra. (no picture of Professor Bhugra here, but Prof Paice is on the right picture)

This reminded me of this great video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJE_Sc1Wags&feature=related

I love the cows in the videos, so holy in some parts of the world.

NHS London has some way to go to obtain equality in its policies and conduct of its staff. Professor Bhugra of the Royal College of Psychiatrists has been more silent than a fish in the sea when it came to Section 12(2) Approval Criteria under Mental Health Act 1983 where numerous discriminatory criteria exist. There has never been an acknowledgment or reply from this person to my letters or emails regarding the subject. Professor Bhugra, presumably, would like to continue to be approved by one of his colleagues for his own section 12.2 of Mental Health Act 1983 which he would need to work as a psychiatrist in most settings. Perhaps, he is not feeling discriminated against now on racial grounds as he has made it to the top of the professional ladder, so why should he bother about discriminatory policies against locum doctors the majority of whom are of ethnic origin.


Maybe, Professor Bhugra believes that it is best to do nothing sometimes as that in itself is quite rewarding, clearly.

MURDER IN BLACKPOOL

There has been a murder in Blackpool. A couple of health professionals worked together in Blackpool Hospital then not and one got murdered. One of the health professionals was transferred to another job before the murder. Article quotes the murdered nurse colleagues describing her as wonderful.

Some doctors would not be surprised to hear that there has been a murder in Blackpool hospital. There are doctors who have been severely provoked by dishonest and bulling doctors in management positions in Blackpool and when they stood up for what is right, they suffered malicious persecution before their regulatory body. These doctors ended before the General Medical Council for alleged aggressive behaviour. All were foreigners and in the usual manner of the GMC they all got slaughtered like sacrificial goats. These doctors were locum psychiatrists and could never get another job in medicine.

I remember trainees in psychiatry in Blackpool being neglected due to slowness and lack of interest in allocating educational supervisors to each trainee promptly. When I stood up for better training the whole gang of dishonest consultant psychiatrists in Blackpool descended on me. There was another one who joined the pack: a professor of psychiatry from Manchester whom I never even met before he stabbed me in the back. The training of junior psychiatrists has been inadequate for years according to the reports from The Royal College of Psychiatrists, yet The Royal College itself was incapable of thinking of the better system without getting persecutory of the critic.

I feel sad for all the good people I met in Blackpool.

I hope the police will find the truth and that court is prepared to hear it unlike the General Medical Council which is only interested in supporting old boy networks.

Bolsin 1 Sophocles 0

It was Sophocles (right, bust) who wrote: "Nobody likes the man who brings bad news". Well, it sounds as if he was speaking for English Establishment which has persecuted some doctors as if there was no tomorrow. But tomorrow always comes. Sophocles was Athenian Establishment darling from early on in his life. As a child he celebrated Athenian victory at the battle of Salamis wearing nothing but sandals, smeared in body oil and playing a lyre on Athenian streets. (A bit like today when the exploited young beautiful women are asked to pose naked and told to have talent!).

Sophocles wrote over 120 plays but only a handful survived to present day.

His son, Iophon, took him to court alleging Sophocles was senile and unable to manage his financial affairs when he was ninety years old and son lost the case. There were no good psychiatrists to help the court then as there seem to be not too many with integrity now when establishment men spin their tales in UK courts or tribunals (Solicitors Regulation Authority and general Medical Council, in particular). In his defense, Sophocles read in court a bit of Oedipus King, he wrote and allegedly said: " If I am Sophocles I am not senile and if I am senile I am not Sophocles". Athenian court was impressed by such words as much as the General Medical Council Fitness to Practice Committees are impressed with everything that protects those perceived to have a place in the medical establishment. It does not matter how many people died one way or another: the boys and some girls hang onto the well oiled bodies of old dodgy characters till death do part them. A good psychiatrist/psychologist today would be able to examine a person thoroughly for dementia as well as personality defects. Not to mention all sorts of scans we have today. Sophocles also had the role of Athenian Treasurer and politicians loved him so very much that at one literary competition (where his play was to be judged) the judging panel members were replaced by generals.

When Sophocles died Athena was under siege by Spartans and he could not be buried on his family plot (outside Athens) despite all the pleadings by eminent Athenian people of the time made to Spartans to allow the transfer of the body to burial grounds.

Before he died Sophocles was fond of boys in ways that today would be described as paedophilia. In his career he was very successful and popular just like it is possible to be today.

I do not know for how long in human history it has been dangerous to protect children. However, I do know that protecting children is a dangerous business today. It is also dangerous to protect adults who suffered abuse as children. Medical establishment has a profound dislike of doctors who blow the whistle on poor medical practice or wrong policy affecting children.

But one cannot fool all the world all the time. There is a campaign under way to honour all whistleblowers who were not just intelligent but had the integrity to do the right thing for the benefit of British people that they served.

One of the people is Professor Steve Bolsin British born anesthetist who studied high infant mortality following cardiac surgery in Bristol and who was disregarded by management when he raised concerns, found himself unemployable but managed to get somehow to Australia. His work on clinical governance is well recognized but British Medical Association still has not been able to get him honoured for his work. Well, it is not part of British culture to tell! However, this goes hand in hand with backstabbing of whistleblowers, for example, which is very much accepted by British medical establishments. One has to ask why this is the case. Obvious to outsiders, is the upbringing of British children that has gone wrong. It is religiously biased schooling which feminist politicians identified as the key to misogyny. As the child grows s/he moves through other institutions affected by same institutional biases. Children get messages that women are bad (the bad Eve and so on). The misogyny alone cuts out real intimacy with more than a half of the population. One learns that one cannot tell if there is something bad. How can a boy tell him mother he learned women are bad. Knowledge and truth are badness in themselves according to this infamous Bible story. Eve took apple, symbol of knowledge. She sinned according to Bible. Children come out of women, who are bad merely by being female, are inferior and seem to care about children. Therefore, logically how can one expect good things (children) to come out of bad things (women). Oh, dear.

Here is one example from gardening centre about openess. I went to look at some flowers and was very much attracted by beautiful smell of the lillies. Unable to resist them I smelled them really close. After purchasing one pot of lillies I went to the till and paid for it. Cashier looked at me and said nothing, I smiled. I left the shop in my car and went to the petrol station where again I had received a serious look from the cashier. I smiled happily. Several miles later, I looked at the mirror and caught the sight of my face. It was covered in large smeared stains of orange pollen all around my mouth, and nose. And all the good English people who had seen it said nothing to me. Very English. This is how people are expected to behave in England. Keep silent at work (seen as good manners and being professional), take the cash and go to your home, where one is also expected to keep reasonably silent.

However, things do change. and not all British people are prepared to sit in silence for ever more. Professor Steve Bolsin will be honoured even if British Medical Association does nothing and goes down in history for what they have shown themselves to be: conformist.

Dr Rita Pal, another famous whistleblower should be honoured too for her work in exposing high death rates in NHS Ward 87, exposing many corrupt individuals including one who was a head of a state Security Service. Very impressive work done. Yes, Dr Rita Pal has done things that would cause acute shortage of toilet paper both at BMA and GMC if the old boys were asked to do that sort of work. We would not even dream of asking them to attempt the same tasks even if we had oversupply of toilet paper.

Sometimes, I wonder what would happen if men had better health. What if they had testosterone replacement therapy? Would they have more courage to do the right thing? I say this as when mice win their testosterone levels go up. The same applies to men. If one looks at fans of successful sports team that just won the match their testosterone level goes up. Yes, no kidding.

So, my hypothesis is that boys at GMC and BMA have experienced a decrease in testosterone levels when facing whistleblowers who arrived at their doors in shreds, so to speak. Maybe staff there should be investigated before they apply testosterone gel to their skin when investigating most whistleblowers. A kind of protective work measure. Health and Safety comes first.

What about reactions to whistleblowers who are the winners? More about it later....But I suspect that backing a winner causes, well, you guessed it, an increase in testosterone blood levels.

PS.

1. Sophocles died reading one of his long fatal sentences in one breath (from Antigone, play he wrote) and in public. He could have been reading General Medical Council list of sanctions imposed on whistleblowers! Or GMC's pseudo-reasoning for sanctions imposed. For the protection of the reputation of medical profession. Yes, 4 sure.

2. Professor Steve Bolsin left British medical brotherhood on time and before GMC could snare him at somebody's request. He did not have GMC proceedings against him. Professor Bolsin already received a number of awards abroad (Australia).

Cherie Booth QC and Office of Judicial Complaints

When I complained several months ago about Ms Cherie Booth sentencing of Shamso Miah to Office of Judicial Complaints my expectations were not unrealistic.

In my opinion, she did wrong in bringing religion of a man when sentencing him.

Management consultants expect those working in state institutions to have laisser fair approach to management. Usually, they are right. In the case of Ms Booth, it would be reasonable to expect her to get away with it, so to speak.

My complaint like that made by National Secular Society was found to be partially substantiated and why some expectantly ask: " In which part?" I can say that it does not matter as "One shoe fits all" and I imagine all of us received the same response from OJC although our arguments would have been individually different.

By the way, OJC is very efficient when it comes to communications about the progress of complaints.

Ms Booth did not say anything about poverty and religion during her sentencing (interestingly, Mr Shamso Miah hit a man during argument about the queueing for Cash Point at bank) as far as I know. It is recognized that religiosity of countries as a whole is linked to lower income per capita.

While in some countries judges get penalized for pushing religion repeatedly, in UK this is yet to happen.

OJC (Lord Chancellor Clarke, and Chief Justice Judge) have decided that informal talk with Senior Judge and Ms Booth is all that is needed to address the complaints against her. I guess it was brief, as it is usual custom in UK is to avoid religious matters in conversations. Thus, one saves oneself the tedium of having to deal with those who have already made their choice to cling to whatever appears to symbolically represent those in power (men).

UK in breach of Human Rights of UK prisoners and doctors by Dr Helen Bright

For many years UK has breached human rights of prisoners by not allowing them to vote. One was successful and won in European Court but UK government could not care less for years. Now European Court is considering penalties for UK.

Doctors are also suffering from human rights breaches as Medical Act 1983 is incompatible with Article 6 of European Convention of Human Rights. Some Statutory Instruments are also rather grotesque such as SI 2004 No 2611. There are a number of problems if you look at section 7 where any defect in the appointment of a panellist does not invalidate disciplinary hearings. Some may not have been appointed at all. In fact, anyone could be dragged from the gutter and judge doctors in UK and it would be legal according to UK law as intepreted by the General Medical Council. No need for votes or appointment system, it would appear.

There should be an application in High Court to declare incompatibility with Human Rights and if it fails one could seek remedy in European Court while making sure one also lives a very long and healthy life to see the effects of one's efforts.

Psychiatrists in denial or not about conflicts of interests? by Dr Helen Bright

After media wrote about an alleged undeclared conflict of interests between several high profile doctors and pharmaceutical industry American Psychiatric Association (APA) did the decent thing and formed a working party of 11 members which was chaired by Dr Appelbaum (photo on the left) who was once President of American Psychiatric Association. They proposed 14 items designed to regulate and significantly curtail psychiatrists' relationship with pharmaceutical industry. Before it was due to be debated at National Assembly of APA, the reference committee rejected it.
One of the younger members of APA pushing for recommendations is Dr Sonkiss who stated:

"Progress is not gained without struggle. "Almost every major historical landmark of progress — the abolition of slavery, child labor reform, women's suffrage, civil rights — has been divisive, but each was accomplished because it was the right thing to do. Whether it is divisive or not, passing the Appelbaum report is also the right thing to do."

Dr Appelbaum's opinion is: "Ironically, it appears to be very difficult for many psychiatrists to accept the notion that these maybe influences on their behaviour that are outside their conscious perception".

Well, we know that people are motivated by pleasure. There is pleasure of taking from pharmaceutical industry as well as pleasure of giving something back. It does not have to be unconscious. However, declaring conflicts of interests is demotivating business. Fear of being viewed with suspicion after declaring conflicts of interests can motivate psychiatrists to not declare any conflicts of interests.
There would be psychiatrists who would not be influenced by gifts from pharmaceutical industry but that requires resistance to pleasure of giving something back just because one has received something. And when it comes to resistance we are not the same.
Pharmaceutical industry has sponsored research where the findings were critical of the medication and this was published many times. Psychiatrists in these cases were not influenced negatively by conflicts of interests and did declare them.
In a simplistic world of regulation, complexities can be ignored and Applebaum report is to be discussed further by APA in September 2010. I predict it will be adopted in modified form.
In an ideal world, many more conflicts of interests would have to be declared eg religious, political, gender bias etc. Psychiatrists know only too well why they should do it.
Self-regulation does have big holes in it. For public to have confidence in medical profession, it is important that these conflicts of interests are not only declared but also examined by independent people for the right mechanisms to be put in place to prevent serious injustice to many including pharamaceutical industry.
There is no, for example, assessment of the conflict of interests by regulatory bodoes in UK. It is not enough just to declare it.
Some members of one regulatory body also sit at others. This is another source of numerous conflicts of interests.
Secrecy is dysfunctional and so is lack of intimacy. Once conflicts are declared it is silly to leave it just to those who declared it to deal with their conflicts as they see fit.
Some people should be actively prevented from taking up some forms of work. European Council did well in that respect by excluding some people such as religious extremists whose views were not compatible with the law and more specifically Human Rights.

EMPATHY AND RACISM

Empathy is an essential component in medical and legal practice.

Human beings have different capacity for empathy. One social study after another has shown that prejudice can lead to different treatment for different ethnic groups.

It is now established through scientific evidence from research led by Ms Jenifer Gutsell, PhD student and Assistant Professor Dr Michael Inzlicht that people have brain activity that mirrors the activity from the different race members differently.

In their experiments, subjects were watching men of different races take a drink. Brain has motor cells which mirror this activity (sympathetic) ie the brain cells of the observers become active in motor cortex mirror cells when watching a member of the same race take a drink but not so if the person belongs to a different race. Motor cortex mirror cells were less activated when watching a person from different race take a drink. In other words, the brain mirror cells do not go through the same motion of putting oneself in another person's shoes when observing the member of a different race...

This opens possibility of testing judges and doctors for racial bias in a novel way.

We do know that medical regulators in UK such as the General Medical Council have an overabundance of doctors from ethnic minorities facing disciplinary hearings. Should all the complainants take this test so that we can all see how their brains work? What about investigators? Fitness to Practice Panelists? And does the same applies to sexual bias too? Do female judges prefer male barristers to female? Plenty to research in days to come.

Watch this clip on empathy.

The hormonal levels in men and women differ for a number of different hormones. Oxytocin is one of those. Should all of those who need empathy have serum levels of oxytocin measured? Will this identify institutional psychopaths sooner rather than later?

When people arrive to work will they have to pass through the scanners in order to confirm their fitness for work like going through scanners at the airports?

What about a bunch of men judging a female doctor hounded by a bunch of men? On whose side would they be, naturally?

With improvements in science and new applications in social work and politics will some prisons close down one day like many psychiatric hospitals did?

Mr Gary Walker, swearing, and reality

It is terrible to hear that Mr Gary Walker who worked as Chief Executive for United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust in UK has got into trouble for allegedly using a bit of swearing in some of the meetings.

The truth is that swearing is incredibly common amongs professionals.

For many, many years people have done it without being hounded out of their jobs or dismissed.

In 1999 BMJ published a study where unknown to them, surgeons were observed for use of swear words during operating time.( BMJ Volume 319 18-25 December 1999).

The swear words were classified into three groups, with points assigned to each swear word:

Heaven and Hell Category:

"God", "Bloody Hell", "Bugger" all 1 point

Bodily Products:

"Shi*t", "P*ss" each 2 points

"FOUR" Letter words:

"F***", "C***" , "B***ard" each 3 points

If a string of swear words was used only the highest scoring word was given the points.

Results: 1 point was scored each 51.4 minutes.

On average 16.5 swear words were used by orthopoedic surgeons within 8 hour shift. General surgeons used 10.6, gynaecologists 10, urologists 3.1.

Ear, Nose and Throat surgeons managed five hours without swearing.

Thus, it can be concluded that swearing is common in professional setting. None of those who swore were subject of disciplinary proceedings.

Mr Garry Walker is special, as he saved the trust from 24.5 million debt. He warned about patient safety and considers himself to be the victim as the result of whistleblowing which led to disciplinary hearing.

We wish him good luck in his Employment Tribunal where he is seeking damages. We hope he would not be judged adversely for being normal.
We hope he will not have religiously biased tribunal.

GMC for ever

Professor DKK worked for General Medical Council as Health Screener in Fitness to Practice Directorate.

She died in July 2009 while still employed by the General Medical Council. Family informed GMC of her death. Six months after her death GMC issued a Registration Certificate to her. She did not pay the annual fee and months later a reminder letter was sent to Professor DKK reminding her of the fees due.

GMC no longer issues Registration Certificates.

DYSFUNCTIONAL SERIES: ARTICLE 5: DENIAL

Denial of own feelings is one of the characteristics of victims and abusers/persecutors. Acting responsibly according to feelings is the first step to address individual needs.
When these needs are not met unpleasant feelings surface, but these unpleasant emotions can be changed through addictions which give a temporary high.
Here are some examples of addictions:
drugs/alcohol/smoking
work
dieting
food
exercise
love
sex
gambling
hobbies, etc
Here is one definition of addiction: compulsive behaviours or use of substances to alter feelings leading to chronic neurobiological changes, difficulty stopping and difficulty not seeking to increase the addictive substance use or behaviours.
It is easy to see that for example to remove the feelings of anxiety about something can lead to addictive behaviour or substance misuse.
Eventually, things get worse for the addict, needs are still not met, other people are victimized. Victim turns into a victim persecutor and guilt is used for control of others. Poor self esteem can arise from low achievement as the result of not acting responsibly on own feelings and as the result of persecution and abuse at the hands of others.
Here are some examples:
1. Feelings of anger arise when we encounter injustice. The option open to individual is to change expectations and give up, accept the world as it is and watch TV, do household tasks and what boss and everybody else tells him/her. Another option is to use energy of anger to attack injustice and make a world a better place. Big changes in our society do happen because people had used their anger constructively.
2. Sadness can arise as the result of loss or anticipated loss. Before being able to address sadness many have to address feelings of guilt which may not be justified at all. After sadness has been faced, there is need to acknowledge hurt, after that anger and after that fear needs to be addressed. Feelings change from one to another.
People progress through different stages with different degree of ability to cope. Taking responsibility for own feelings and needs, and subsequent actions is easier than taking responsibility for own beliefs.
Political and religious dogma is one example of the belief system onto which people can hang irrespective of what damage it causes them or other people. State institutions reflect those beliefs, hold onto them or fail to address them through individuals who work there and whose responsibility is to address them. Thus, what may start as individual problem in addressing the needs of the patients or doctors to provide for those needs, becomes a "system problem". In situations where laws already exist to prevent victimization, individual still depends on those institutions to protect the rule of the law and not the rule of the mob BY ABUSING THE POWER OF DECISION MAKER.
After many years of stress some people give up exhausted and unable to defend themselves any longer.
Some people leave early and let others fix the problem that gave rise to the initial feelings of e.g. dissatisfaction.
There are people who never give up. They have positive regard for themselves and believe that eventually other people will be able to help them make the world a better place.

Doctors have a very high risk of being victimized as by nature their job is to take responsibility for the feelings of their patients. In situations where they are obstructed or prevented from doing their job, stress arises and risk of addictions is high.

Expressing one's feelings as in whistleblowing in UK results in persecution and almost all whistleblowers are forced to leave their chosen career. This reflects social dysfunctionality beyond that of an individual.