Re: Medical director of Cornwall trust is first to be struck off for management failings
Reply to Dr David Levine
First, I fully understand that it is not unusual to support colleagues in difficulty and even defend their alleged or proven misconduct. In the instant case, Dr Robert Pitcher has been proven guilty and struck off the register [1]. It appears, the relevant decision is still not available on MPTS’s website; once the decision is available, perhaps the “organisational and personal circumstances at that time” which Dr Levine refers to, might become clearer. It is also reported [2], “after serious concerns were identified, Dr Pitcher failed to take further action to protect patients, solely because he inexplicably accepted Mr Jones' account of some of the concerns raised in the report. He also appeared to attach some weight to how 'charming' Mr Jones was”.
One wonders whether Dr Levine accepts, there should be some personal responsibility for the “governance” failures which he claims “almost certainly played a part”. If Dr Levine thinks that I am not “sufficiently informed” to comment as I did, then for the avoidance of doubt, I respectfully invite him to disclose relevant facts in a frank manner.
Rapid Response:
Re: Medical director of Cornwall trust is first to be struck off for management failings
Reply to Dr David Levine
First, I fully understand that it is not unusual to support colleagues in difficulty and even defend their alleged or proven misconduct. In the instant case, Dr Robert Pitcher has been proven guilty and struck off the register [1]. It appears, the relevant decision is still not available on MPTS’s website; once the decision is available, perhaps the “organisational and personal circumstances at that time” which Dr Levine refers to, might become clearer. It is also reported [2], “after serious concerns were identified, Dr Pitcher failed to take further action to protect patients, solely because he inexplicably accepted Mr Jones' account of some of the concerns raised in the report. He also appeared to attach some weight to how 'charming' Mr Jones was”.
One wonders whether Dr Levine accepts, there should be some personal responsibility for the “governance” failures which he claims “almost certainly played a part”. If Dr Levine thinks that I am not “sufficiently informed” to comment as I did, then for the avoidance of doubt, I respectfully invite him to disclose relevant facts in a frank manner.
References
[1] BMJ 2016;355:i5712
[2]http://www.westbriton.co.uk/former-royal-cornwall-hospital-medical-direc...
Competing interests: No competing interests