Superblogging - was the game worth the candle?

I can't help wondering whether Black, Needham or Paice believe that suspending a junior doctor in training was worth the sacrifice of their Internet reputations.

The Internet that caused the crisis, Dr Scot Junior put a few choice if ill chosen words on a private medical forum, has meted out its own form of rough justice. Dr Scot Junior remains suspended and his career temporarily on hold. But Black, Needham and Paice have become fair game for medical bloggers everywhere and objects of ridicule for anyone with access to a search engine

Superblogging is a coordinated blogging attack from multiple sources, by people with a common interest, whose only recourse is the Internet. These people are Google's constituents, their millions of pennies have, in part, paid for the Internet revolution. Google at least, seems to be protecting the anonymous voices that made it rich.

Other bloggers who have written more eloquently on this subject include
http://www.nhsexposedblog.blogspot.com/
http://ward87.blogspot.com/
http://www.drrant.net/

http://ferretfancier.blogspot.com/
http://witchdoctor.wordpress.com/
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/
http://thejobbingdoctor.blogspot.com/
http://andrew-allison.blogspot.com/
http://www.twoweeksonatrolley.blogspot.com/ http://thebrownstuff.blogspot.com/2008/08/story-here.html

http://www.blogowogo.com/blog_article.php?aid=1655466&t=

http://www.generalmedicalcouncil.com/2008/09/gmc-has-to-act-now-prof-gillian-needham.html

http://www.topblogarea.com/rss/Gillian.htm

http://www.medworm.com/rss/search.php?qu=Dr+Rant&t=Dr+Rant&s=Search&f=source

http://www.wikio.co.uk/news/Elizabeth+Paice

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/09/inverness_doctor_suspension/

and just for a laugh "Oh Carole" by the Reservoir Docs

Harassment and Bullying in the NHS

A young doctor is suspended and his career ruined for saying a few words in a private internet forum against one of the senior doctors in the NHS. He has apparently been reported to the General Medical Council and the situation is continuing to escalate.

If this happened in industry, it would not matter. Junior Manager writes that the "Chairman of Montsanto is a turd" in a private forum. Junior Manager apologises, gets sacked and promptly gets appointed in a different company. By the way, in case the Chairman of Montsanto is reading this - please show yourself to be above Needham, Paice and Black and do not report me to the General Vitamin Council for being rude and offensive.

This case matters because medicine is a government monopoly. This young man's career is finished. The dreadful trio of Needham, Paice and Black have destroyed him. The GMC will not let him go - although please Catto prove me wrong. He will lose his registration or at the very least it will be made "conditional". This will go with him for the rest of his career in medicine and after.

Yet again, I am ashamed to belong to a profession that has structured itself so that patient care comes last, and bullies and harasses its members so that no one dares speak out about what is happening. Somewhere I wrote about the medicine as a cult. Its behaviour is beginning to resemble that of the worst kind of secret society. Its knowledge is kept secret, access is limited, and it silences all who dare criticise.

Doctors are being intimidated. This case is a warning to any young doctor speaking out against the medical authorities. He might have made some rash comments. But, fearing that he is the tip of the iceberg, Needham, Paice and Black have cut him off at the knees. Be warned! You cannot cut the tip off an iceberg




Other bloggers who have written more eloquently on this subject include
http://www.nhsexposedblog.blogspot.com/
http://ward87.blogspot.com/
http://www.drrant.net/
http://ferretfancier.blogspot.com/
http://witchdoctor.wordpress.com/
http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/
http://thejobbingdoctor.blogspot.com/

This is also a moment of deep irony.

Working for a healthier tomorrow "Dame Carol Black's review of the health of the working age population" Dame Carol Black's recent rise to power is based on a report to get people back into work. Yet Dame Carol Black is the centre of a row keeping a doctor out of work??
http://www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/documents/working-for-a-healthier-tomorrow-tagged.pdf