'A continuing risk to patients', says General Medical Council (Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrats)

Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrats <office@eastbournelibdems.org.uk>

'A continuing risk to patients', says General Medical Council

February 26, 2010 1:00 AM

Stephen Lloyd, Eastbourne and Willingdon Liberal Democrat Candidate. Eastbourne resident, Mrs Gillian Mackenzie, comments on the GMC's recent ruling that Dr Jane Barton has been found guilty of serious professional misconduct while patients were in her care at the Gosport War Memorial Hospital.

Mrs Mackenzie said: "I attended the GMC Panel up in London and heard all the evidence against Dr Barton. She was supposed to be looking after my Mother Mrs Gladys Richards at the Gosport Hospital, in 1998 and they found against her in the over-prescription of diamorphine and other powerful drugs. The GMC concluded that Dr Barton "showed a worrying lack of insight" but still they did not take the necessary step, in my view, of striking Dr Barton off the register. We must have a public enquiry so that the victims relatives can get to the bottom of this whole dreadful episode."

"I'm aware that the Lib Dem shadow Secretary of State for Health, Norman Lamb MP, has recently tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament also seeking to establish an independent public inquiry."

Lib Dem Stephen Lloyd who has been actively supporting Mrs. Mackenzie's fight for justice adds: "Only a public examination with equivalent powers to the Shipman inquiry could satisfactorily consider the complex nature of the multiple deaths and satisfy the public interest in learning lessons about safety in such cases. The relatives of many of the 92 deceased patients are supporting a call for a Public Enquiry and I will continue to bring as much pressure to bear as I can. I am disappointed that our local MP, Mr Waterson, has not signed the Mr. Lambs Early Day Motion so I will also be writing to him to urge that he do so."