Hospital doctors face rising threat of suspension

doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7253.72

BMJ 2000;321:72 ( 8 July )

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Hospital doctors face rising threat of suspension

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Many suspensions are wasteful or unjust. So why is the health department opposing a bill to make suspension procedures fairer,asks Judy Jones

"Criminals who commit serious offences are treated better than suspended doctors," declares the Conservative peer, BaronessKnight of Collingtree. "They can be locked out of their hospitalsfor years, without knowing what they are meant to have done wrongand without anyone speaking up forthem."

A bill being steered through the House of Lords by Lady Knight seeks to remedy the "grave injustices" that she and many otherssee in the majority of suspensions in England. Many welcome herattempts to reform the cumbersome and labyrinthine proceduresthat these suspensions oftentrigger.

Five years ago, the case of Dr Bridget O'Connell prompted a stinging reprimand of the NHS Executive by the Commons publicaccounts committee of MPs (BMJ 1995;311:527). The consultant paediatricianhad been suspended for . . . [Full text of this article]

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