MP demands an urgent and thorough investigation into hospital consultant’s allegations and not a whitewash
01/11/2004
Mike Hancock, MP (Lib Dem, Portsmouth South) has demanded an urgent and thorough investigation into a hospital consultant’s allegations. He said that what has happened so far amounted to a whitewash. He also said that it showed that Government targets were distorting clinical priorities.
This follows allegations that 70 patients suffering ear problems were not seen by the specialist they were promised when referred by their GPs. According to the Portsmouth News, top consultant Mr Peter West wrote to GPs saying that “You should be aware that your patient’s name was removed from my waiting list by hospital managers in order that essentially arbitrary central government waiting list targets could be seen to be achieved. I would like to stress that this decision to remove patients from my waiting list was taken without my approval.”
Mike Hancock has condemned the lack of action so far from the Department of Health. He said “I understand that they have talked to Portsmouth Hospitals Trust and the hospital – perhaps not surprisingly – have said that there is not a problem. These are serious allegations and they deserve to be taken seriously by the Department of Health. Patients in Portsmouth deserve more than a quick chat from the health department to the hospital. At the moment this is a whitewash – we now need to have a proper inquiry from the Secretary of State to get to the bottom of these allegations and ensure that my constituents are not treated in this way in the future. As far as I can see we have no guarantees that this will not happen again in the future – and that it is unacceptable.”
Mike Hancock also said that it showed that Government targets imposed hundreds of miles away in Whitewall were distorting clinical priorities in the city. He said “The Government should pay attention when consultants are calling their targets “essentially arbitrary”. That’s why the Liberal Democrats have said that it is time for patients to be put first. Dedicated and highly trained doctors and nurses should be freed from meddling by ministers and civil servants and absurd targets abolished.”
Secretary of State for Health
Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
LONDON SW1A 2NS
28 October 2004
Dear Secretary of State
I am writing to you about a very serious matter in Portsmouth. The allegation is that 70 patients in Portsmouth suffering from ear problems have been denied seeing the specialist that they were promised when referred by their GPs so that waiting lists could be secretly manipulated and kept down.
I believe that this is totally unacceptable and I am writing to you to demand an immediate inquiry into what has happened in this case. I understand that the consultant concerned, Mr Peter West wrote saying to local GPs saying: “You should be aware that your patient’s name was removed from my waiting list by hospital managers in order that essentially arbitrary central Government waiting list targets could be seen to be achieved. I would like to stress that this decision to remove patients was taken without my approval.” This is a serious allegation and needs to be investigated – particularly as I understand that patients should not be seen by another surgeon without the express permission of the consultant involved and it seems on the face of it that this did not seem to be the situation in this case. I hope that you will now carry out an urgent and thorough investigation as to what has happened here and disadvantaged my constituents.
I also am concerned on the more general point that these targets imposed Central Government described as “essentially arbitrarily” by Mr West are distorting clinical decisions by doctors in Portsmouth and I hope that you will look to remove them.
Best wishes
Yours sincerely
MIKE HANCOCK CBE MP
