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NEWS: Hospital doctors face rising threat of suspension BMJ 2000; 321: 72 [Full text]

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Urgent action needed to save important bill on medical suspension

M I Heatley   (10 July 2000)

Urgent action needed to save important bill on medical suspension 10 July 2000
M I Heatley, Retired Send response to journal: Re: Urgent action needed to save important bill on medical suspension	Re: Suspension of Hospital Medical Practitioners Bill Your help is urgently required concerning the above bill. This Bill received its third hearing in the House of Lords and was then sent to the House of Commons. It is in danger of being lost unless it is debated and passed before the end of this month. It currently is Number 50 on the list but it can be brought forward if enough MPs ask for it. The Government does not like it for reasons unknown. Please write to your MP at your workplace and at home. Currently, 40-45 doctors are suspended each year for an average of nearly two years. At most 6 will be proved justified and only one or two will be because of proved professional incompetence. Each suspension costs approaching 100,000 pounds a year in salaries, superannuation and administrative/legal costs. To this must be added the costs of the settlements. Further information from: Secretary, Study Group - Society of Clinical Psychiatrists, Dr. P.J. Tomlin, Tel: 01725 513367