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Surgeon's 16-Year Whistleblow Fight Exposes Deadly NHS Failures
2 Dec
Summary
- A surgeon's 16-year fight exposed a colleague endangering cancer patients.
- Trust managers allegedly blamed the whistleblower instead of acting.
- The negligent surgeon was finally struck off the medical register in 2021.
A consultant urological surgeon, Michael Swinn, endured a 16-year struggle after reporting a colleague whose actions endangered cancer patients. Despite raising numerous complaints and clinical investigations, Swinn alleges that senior managers at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust ignored the evidence and even attempted to blame him. The colleague, Paul Miller, was only struck off the medical register in December 2021 for dishonesty and patient safety disregard.
Swinn's ordeal mirrors historical cases where NHS whistleblowers faced ostracization and career threats. Examples include Stephen Bolsin at Bristol Royal Infirmary and Hemant Ingle regarding surgeon Ian Paterson. Despite numerous reports and policies aimed at protecting whistleblowers, many healthcare staff report experiencing victimisation or feeling compelled to resign after raising patient safety concerns.
Calls are growing for greater accountability for NHS managers, with proposals for a regulatory body similar to those for doctors and nurses. Swinn advocates for managers to have a professional code of conduct and a regulator, emphasizing that patient safety must be prioritized over reputation. The closure of the National Guardian's Office, established to protect whistleblowers, is seen by some as a step backward.
