After watching the Panorama programme about the death of the infant Peter Donelly (BBC1 TV 27th October) which exposed the cover ups and failures of all the services designed to protect children (Still on web site) it was quite obvious that the problem was not in 'pattern spotting' in that horrendous case. Fear of speaking out against those in influential positions who could jeapordise careers/livelihoods and reputations, or in positions where they could 'doctor' accounts, was and probably still is a factor which allows the same type of slips to occur time and time again. (When doing a stint as a children's homes inspector years ago I saw exactly the same 'editing' of reports by senior social workers and members of the Government as were highlighted in the programme - and despite writing reports could do nothing about it.)
A very sad outcome was the way Dr Sabah Al Zayyat was treated. She was made a scapegoat which resulted in a breakdown, her flight to Pakistan leaving her family behind in England, the suggestion that she will never fully recover and her self removal from the GMC register. It was revealed that she should never have been put in the position of working in the clinic at St Annes in Haringay, being unqualified to do so. But significantly that it was probable, according to another expert in child pathology, that the broken back Peter Donelly suffered was done after he had been examined by her at the clinic - and not that she missed this when he was taken in. It seems doubtful that she will ever get an apology, maybe it would be meaningless anyway but hopefully she saw the programme and feels just a little better. Many of her colleagues who were also scapegoated remain bitter.
Rapid Response:
After watching the Panorama programme about the death of the infant Peter Donelly (BBC1 TV 27th October) which exposed the cover ups and failures of all the services designed to protect children (Still on web site) it was quite obvious that the problem was not in 'pattern spotting' in that horrendous case. Fear of speaking out against those in influential positions who could jeapordise careers/livelihoods and reputations, or in positions where they could 'doctor' accounts, was and probably still is a factor which allows the same type of slips to occur time and time again. (When doing a stint as a children's homes inspector years ago I saw exactly the same 'editing' of reports by senior social workers and members of the Government as were highlighted in the programme - and despite writing reports could do nothing about it.)
A very sad outcome was the way Dr Sabah Al Zayyat was treated. She was made a scapegoat which resulted in a breakdown, her flight to Pakistan leaving her family behind in England, the suggestion that she will never fully recover and her self removal from the GMC register. It was revealed that she should never have been put in the position of working in the clinic at St Annes in Haringay, being unqualified to do so. But significantly that it was probable, according to another expert in child pathology, that the broken back Peter Donelly suffered was done after he had been examined by her at the clinic - and not that she missed this when he was taken in. It seems doubtful that she will ever get an apology, maybe it would be meaningless anyway but hopefully she saw the programme and feels just a little better. Many of her colleagues who were also scapegoated remain bitter.
Competing interests: No competing interests