Regulators under the spotlight
Following the horrific stories of exposing serial rapist police officer David Carrick last week it is important all sectors reflect on their own actions and ask – could it happen here?
Over the weekend NHS staff told The Independent healthcare in the UK was at risk of missing its own Carrick as regulators, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and General Medical Council have allegedly failed to properly address allegations of domestic violence and assault.
Some shocking cases surfaced in which male nurses were convicted of serious assault on partners, or sexual assault were allowed to continue working in their clinical roles.
Dr Rebecca Cox, who helped sparked the major #MeToo movement in medicine and is co-founder of the Surviving in Scrubs campaign group, told The Independent: "There are great similarities, in the recent cases of prolific sexual harassment and assault, between the Met Police and the NHS.
"As an organisation, we have had multiple healthcare professionals contacting us desperate to seek support after facing repeated barriers when trying to report harassment and assault to their employing NHS organisation and regulators such as the GMC.
"Victims find their cases ignored or dropped without good reason, and perpetrators being able to continue working without repercussions. We need a public inquiry into sexism, sexual harassment and sexual assault in healthcare."
Giveth and taketh away
Over the last two months The Independent has carried out multiple exposes into private mental health provider the Huntercombe Group. The investigations revealed shocking allegations from more than 50 patients over systematic abuse. This followed other major mental health scandals in 2022.
This week the Department of Health and Social Care discreetly announced it has commissioned a rapid review of inpatient mental health services, chaired by Geraldine Strathdee, within a written question. The announcement was so discreet it was almost missed – but not by the Indy.
I've since established the review will be data-based looking at how information already obtained by the Care Quality Commission and NHSE. This will be likely disappointing to patients and families expecting more.
The terms of reference are yet to be set, however early indications suggest the rapid review may miss the big questions over poor culture and staffing levels.
In the same week as this rapid review was announced the DHSC also quietly dropped a previously promised 10-year strategy for mental health. Instead, mental health will be rolled into a "major conditions" plan – quite the example of giving with one hand and taking with the other.
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Keep a civil tongue.