Should Dr Shirine Boardman be reinstated?

Posted by: Witch Doctor | January 19, 2009

Should Dr Shirine Boardman be reinstated?

UPDATE: There are now 45 comments to The Leamington and Warwick Courier in response to the question below.

The Leamington and Warwick Courier is asking the public for views on whether Dr Boardman should be reinstated.

“South Warwickshire General Hospitals Trust sacked diabetes specialist Dr Shirine Boardman for gross misconduct on July 22. She was alleged to have transferred more than 80 patients’ details to a company of which she was a director. Last week, the Trust upheld its decision to sack her following an appeal hearing. Was the Trust right to uphold this decision, or should she be re-instated? Your comments are welcome.”

This needs clarification before the public can give an opinion. “The Company of which she was a director” as it stands it is misleading because it does not indicate that the “company” is part of the voluntary sector, is not for profit and is so much part of NHS policy that it could be construed by both doctors and patients to be part of the NHS.

There is evidence that the NHS has very high hopes for increasing contributions from the Voluntary Sector.

Indeed there is a document recently produced by the Fabian Society called :

MUTUAL ACTION, COMMON PURPOSE, EMPOWERING THE THIRD SECTOR

Who was the author?

The Right Hon David Blunkett MP

Who asked him to write the paper?

Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.

When did he ask him to write it?

In July 2007.

Charities, Social Enterprises, and Not for Profit Companies have come a long way from the perception of flag days run by volunteers. They are becoming increasing complex both legally and financially.

My Black Cat and I think all doctors should have their wits about them if the plan to enter the arena of “The Third Sector.” It is not straightforward.

We are not aware of all the facts leading to Dr Shirine Boardman’s sacking, however we do wonder if she was fully aware of the position of the Apnee Sehat project in relation to the NHS.

We wonder how many doctors would have understood this relationship. Perhaps not many.

Indeed we wonder what the term “Common Purpose” means in the title of David Blunkett’s paper. Did Dr Boardman feel she was serving a Common Purpose when she arranged for a simple database to be transferred in order to contact patients to offer them a community service for diabetes in line with The NHS Plan?

a red apple ……………………