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By Gareth
Lewis, Coventry Evening Telegraph
HEALTH watchdogs have warned that waiting lists should
not be allowed to suffer in the wake of the suspension of
a Coventry hospital consultant.
Walsgrave Hospital consultant cardiologist Raj Mattu has
been suspended amid allegations of harassment and
intimidation.
The NHS trust that runs the hospital is investigating the
claims.
The action follows two other high-profile suspensions at
the hospital. Breast surgeon Briony Ackroyd is still
suspended, two years after being sent home. An
investigation into her clinical work is still going on.
In July last year, consultant general surgeon Alban
Barros D'Sa was reinstated after a 20-month suspension
over allegations of oppressing a junior doctor.
Rosemarie Tonkinson, chairman of the Community Health
Council, said patient care should come first.
She said: "In terms of patient care, we hope - in
view of the fact a consultant cardiologist has been
suspended - the waiting list does not get any longer.
"We hope they have made plans robust enough to make
sure the list does not get longer."
Mr Mattu was appointed to the hospital in June, 1997. He
was educated at Foxford School in Coventry and moved back
to the city after working at St George's Hospital in
London.
He has hit out at the hospital in the past. Last year, he
claimed the practice of having five people in bays
designed for four had contributed to two deaths.
The practice was criticised by the Commission for Health
Improvement and was stopped in August.
He spoke out again in November following the publication
of Department of Health figures and a guide published by
an independent health consultancy which named Walsgrave
as having the worst death rates in England for heart
bypass surgery.
Mr Mattu said managers had ignored doctors' concerns
about faulty equipment and staffing shortages.
Coventry Health Authority has declined to comment on the
latest suspension.
