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By Karen Hambridge,
Evening Telegraph
Supporters of a suspended Coventry consultant are
preparing for a public show of protest.
Members of the Dr Raj Mattu Reinstatement Committee hope
to hold a public meeting and possibly a rally to
highlight his situation.
Dr Mattu, a cardiologist at Walsgrave Hospital, was
suspended on February 21 amid allegations of oppressing a
junior doctor.
The suspension, called a neutral act by Walsgrave bosses,
has angered patients, GPs and community groups, who feel
Dr Mattu is being singled out for raising concerns about
quality of care at the hospital.
Brian King, aged 49, a patient of Dr Mattu's and a
spokesman for the committee, said: "A lot of people
are very angry. We want to get him back working as soon
as possible and a lot of groups across the city are
coming together to help us do that."
A number of letters are circulating among doctors,
community groups and temples in the city urging support
for the cause and talking about a public meeting.
Mr King said they hoped to organise a meeting and
possibly a protest march soon.
He added: "Dr Mattu is an internation-ally renowned
cardiologist who was head-hunted from a hospital in
London to come back to Coventry, his home city.
"We feel he is being victimised and it is not in the
interests of patient care for his suspension to continue.
"Dr Mattu stuck his head above the parapet and
complained about five people being put in four bedded
bays.
"He publicly said a patient had died. Now he just
happens to be suspended."
He said similarities could be drawn to the case of Alban
Barros D'Sa, a surgeon who was suspended following
allegations of oppressing a junior doctor while raising
concerns about a colleague's work.
The case dragged on and went to the High Court twice
after the hospital refused to take the advice of an
independent panel which said Mr Barros D'Sa was guilty of
serious professional miscon-duct but should be reinstated
with a first written warning.
At the time Mr Barros D'Sa's supporters, including
Coventry North-west MP Geoffrey Robinson, said his
suspension was linked to him being a 'whistle-blower' and
highlighting problems with mortality rates in the colo-rectal
department.
He was finally re-instated after a hospital disciplinary
meeting.
