THESE past hauntle o weeks hae seen a wheen o the NHS issues that ma colleagues in Action for a Safe and Accountable NHS (ASAP-NHS) an masel hae bin campaignin strongly oan ower raicent years appearin prominently in the press. Things lik: patient safety, the dearth o ony independent regulation o wir NHS in Scotland, the plight o NHS whistleblowers, the lack o ony will frae governments (north or south o the Border) tae tak ony action tae resolve the problems, an the failure o Polis Scotland tae properly investigate allegations o criminal negligence in the NHS. Aa these things are interconneckit, an thae aa lead tae ae thing: avoidable an preventable daiths.

Thon feisty campaigner fir patient safety and care Dr Jane Hamilton, the NHS Lothian (NHSL) whistleblower, hus seen her story back in the news this verra week. Jane’s case is o interest as she, years ago, reportit grave concerns anent the risks tae mothers an wee bairns at the Mother and Baby Unit o St John’s Hospital in Lothian. She said that gin action wisnae taen that mothers an weans wid dee – it wis as bad as that! Hou did NHSL react? They pit Jane oan lang-term “special leave”! Her concerns wir ignored, soopit unner the cairpet, she eventually hud tae leave NHSL eftir “blawin the whistle” – her professional career an nem wir in tatters, fir daurin tae speik the truth in defence o her patients!

An whit aboot thae warnins an predictions she gien? Mithers an weans dee’d.

Nou likesay this is aa comin back tae haunt the heich heid yins in chairge o wir NHS. Jane Hamilton is due tae meet wi Director General o Health an Social Care, Paul Gray. It nou wid seem (lang eftir the tragedies an daiths that Dr Hamilton predicted) that her concerns are aiblins finally bein gien the attention they sae fully desairve.

The government says that Jane’s concerns wir aa investigatit lang syne, bi an “independent panel of experts” – but that nae evidence wis foun tae support the allegations. Weel, gin ye dinnae luik fir a thing ah dout ye’ll no fin it! But wis this independent review as genuinely independent as they’re sayin it wis?

The wey these kindae reviews aye wark is that the NHS marks its ain hamewark; usually an “external” consultant is draftit in tae heid up the review. That’s whit heppent here! Dr Margaret Oates wis duly brocht in. She wis peyed bi NHSL. The terms o reference fir the “investigation” wir set bi NHS Lothian – in agreement wi Oates! This review wis widely shared in the media an is quoted aawhaurs!

Mind, here’s the curious thing!

A subsequent review wis cairriet oot, sanctioned bi Paul Gray an led bi an ex-CEO o NHS Forth Valley, that wis heichly critical o NHSL an the previous review’s findings. But, whit becam o that review? Whae goat tae see it an read it!? Weel, it wisnae you or me – or Dr Jane Hamilton. This expensive review, funded bi yours an mine’s siller, wis appairently ne’er made public! Jane askt tae see the ootcomes o that review – but they widnae gie her thaim! Whit is the pynt o a review, fundit at muckle cost tae the public purse, intil events wi serious an fatal consequences, that’s then ne’er seen bi the public an disnae hae ony ootcomes? Gin ony o ye’se ask NHS Lothian fir this review you’ll no see it eithers! They refuse tae release it.

Lik wi the raicent 2015 Lucas Morton stillbirth tragedy at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, whaur dis the buck stoap fir these kindae things!? Ah wis telt bi John Burns, CEO of NHS A&A, in a wan-tae-wan meetin wi him in 2013 that “the buck stopt wi him”. At that time Health Improvement Scotland (HIS) cam in an cairriet oot a review intil the failins an a new national framework fir managing serious adverse event reports wis publisht. John Burns said “lessons wid be lairnt” (whaur hae we heard that ane afore!? An hou aften!?) – weel, lessons werenae lairnt, an Lucas Morton dee’d (in circumstances gey seemilar tae events that heppent at NHS A&A afore!).

Ah wrote tae the Chair o NHS A&A, Martin Cheyne, demandin that John Burns be suspended frae his joab, pendin ony investigation or review. Cheyne wrote back tae me the verra neist day sayin that John Burns “hud the full confidence o the Chair and the Board” – that must hae bin a quickly convened meetin? Gin this wis you or me dae ye think we wid still be sittin at wir desks!? Naw! We’d be at the “interview wi nae coffee” wi the HR Gestapo afore wir feet touched the grund – an telt no tae set fuit back oan NHS premises until they’d the firin squad ready fir us!

Comin back tae HIS; guess wha’s bin caa’d in tae dae yet anither “major review” at NHS A&A, nae mair as three years frae the last “major review”! This is yet anither exaumpil o merkin their ain hamewark! HIS are pairt o the NHS. They’re no independent an hae nae regulatory pouers whitsaevir. Health boards can ignore an pey nae heed tae thaim. Or gin they dae, why are bairns still deein needlessly at NHS A&A?

As ah hae threipt oan these past few years – we need a genuinely an fully independent regulator o the NHS in Scotland. Yin wi rael teeth an pouers! An mibbes we need tae fling a director (or three?) in the jyle! Until we get that health boards wull conteenue tae be lik “Dodge City” – athoot Wyatt Earp!

We hae the means tae fix these kindae tragic events – sae why are we no daein it? Why are we kiddin oan that these kindae things arenae heppenin in oor public services; be’t councils, education or NHS. Ye’se wull aa ken somebody that’s claucht up in these kindae nesty ongauns; a patient wha suffert hairm or e’en dee’d; a warker suspended an hounded oot o their joab fir speikin oot.

Weel, in 21st-century Scotland ah’m no staundin fir this – an ne’er shuid you!