The point made by Professor McKee about possible contempt of
Parliament is very important. What constitutes Parliament being obstructed
or impeded in its duties is something that does merit a proper
investigation in this case. The term "obstructed or impeded" could cover a
whole range of issues including having access to all relevant reports or
other information about a matter that Mr Bousfield may have wished to have
disclosed to his MP. Far more detail is required from the Liverpool trust
about the nature of the gagging clause and injunction.
If patient safety is of paramount importance, as claimed previously
by the Department of Health's ministers, the simple step would be for the
current Secretary of State to issue a direction to ensure that any
prospective NHS employer is made aware of the details of why a trust chose
to include such a clause in a severance agreement.
Rapid Response:
Re: More information needed
The point made by Professor McKee about possible contempt of
Parliament is very important. What constitutes Parliament being obstructed
or impeded in its duties is something that does merit a proper
investigation in this case. The term "obstructed or impeded" could cover a
whole range of issues including having access to all relevant reports or
other information about a matter that Mr Bousfield may have wished to have
disclosed to his MP. Far more detail is required from the Liverpool trust
about the nature of the gagging clause and injunction.
If patient safety is of paramount importance, as claimed previously
by the Department of Health's ministers, the simple step would be for the
current Secretary of State to issue a direction to ensure that any
prospective NHS employer is made aware of the details of why a trust chose
to include such a clause in a severance agreement.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests