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By Karen
Hambridge
Health chiefs were today being urged to finally sort out
high-profile suspensions of two senior staff at Walsgrave
Hospital.
Politicians piled on the pressure over the long-running
suspension saga of breast surgeon Briony Ackroyd with a
direct plea to health chiefs to get her back to work
after more than two years.
And supporters of heart consultant Raj Mattu also called
on bosses to allow him to return to his job ahead of a
hearing today into allegations of bullying.
Four Labour MPs have signed a letter to Bryan Stoten,
chairman of the NHS trust which runs Walsgrave, calling
on him to get Miss Ackroyd back to work.
MPs Geoffrey Robinson and Jim Cunningham, Bill Olner and
Andy King say any further delay would be a misuse of
public money.
The letter comes after the General Medical Council
insisted on Monday that it would take no further action
over Miss Ackroyd’s fitness to practice despite
receiving extra information from the trust.
The GMC, which investigated claims of malpractice against
Miss Ackroyd, after the trust suspended her in February
2000, has ruled that she can return to work subject to
monitoring.
The trust has not made a decision since that announcement
two months ago.
It has its own inquiry into Miss Ackroyd’s work,
including a review of every case she handled since she
started work there, which has still not been resolved.
The letter from the MPs says to carry on the suspension
would be a ‘clear misuse of public funds’ added
to the total costs which already have exceeded £200,000.
Mr Robinson, MP for Coventry north-west, said: “The
time has come for the trust to cooperate with Miss
Ackroyd so she can fulfil the GMC’s requirements and
resume her work.
‘’I understand it has been proposed she be
seconded to another hospital where she can undertake
these requirements. This seems a sensible solution.”
Meanwhile Raj Mattu was due to have a formal hearing at
Walsgrave Hospital today over claims he bullied a junior
doctor.
Dr Mattu, a cardiologist, has not worked at the trust
which runs Walsgrave since February 21 after allegations
were made over his treatment of a medical researcher.
This is the first opportunity Dr Mattu has had to present
his own case against the claims.
The hearing is likely to pave the way for whatever action
the trust feels is necessary. This may involve an
independent panel being convened to deliberate on all
evidence.
There have been calls for bosses at University Hospitals
Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust to resolve Dr Mattu’s
situation quickly.
Brian King, from the Dr Raj Mattu Reinstatement
Committee, said it was a disgrace the matter had dragged
out for so long.
“Dr Mattu should be back at work. Think of the
wasted money and the loss of care for patients.’’
