What next?

Saturday 30 September 2023

Deputy Gavin St Pier has made a number of demands and suggestions as the States 'noted' the decision to clear him of abusing his parliamentary privilege by naming a doctor during a previous debate.

Using his opportunity to speak to the debate yesterday morning, Deputy St Pier clarified that he has never called for Dr Sandie Bohin to be sacked, or for her "head on a stick" as was claimed the day before.

He reiterated his concerns over safeguarding processes, and said Dr Bohin had also breached data protection rules in her handling of information relating to Deputy St Pier's own family.

He also said that 16 families have now contacted him to express their own concerns about negative experiences at the hands of health professionals in the Bailiwick, mostly related to the Medical Specialist Group and the island's paediatrics department.

Deputy St Pier called on Health and Social Care to collate all of the complaints, and to launch an independent investigation into the concerns raised.

Deputy St Pier also wants the Learning Report, compiled in 2021 after complaints were made, to be published, along with a new complaints process to be established.

Pictured: The Learning Report was commissioned in 2021, but HSC has always refused to publish it. 

That Learning Report was shared with Express in a partially redacted form earlier this week.

Commissioned in 2021, it posed four key questions:

The Learning Report found that the parents and carers' concerns over the safeguarding processes highlighted "systemic and cultural issues" which the report's author said needed to be dealt with.

It also questioned whether "in this turbulent environment, was the focus on children lost?" 

The report offered 17 recommendations for improvements to safeguarding processes to ensure that did not happen again.

In his speech to the States yesterday, Deputy St Pier said it is "essential to remember that the genesis of the Learning Report were parental concerns about the clinical care of their children and what happened if parents questioned, challenged or sought second opinions on that care.

"The alleged misuse of safeguarding processes was the basis for the investigation commissioned by the Responsible Officer, but it was grave concerns regarding the quality of care, that led parents to raise concerns, that in turn triggered the alleged misuse of safeguarding processes."

Deputy St Pier further claimed it is "clear that HSC did not want the Learning Report in the public domain" adding that they seem "so keen to decline publication of this report".

He said publishing the report would not lead to any of the children or families being identified, while all of the families have actually asked for it to be published anyway.

He also revealed that the author has consented to it being published.

"I hope that HSC will reflect that, in the circumstances including this debate, it is best to inform the community of the failings documented, and their intent to rectify matters. When matters are hidden from the community then fear and tension escalates. Why were they so keen to decline publication of this report?," said Deputy St Pier. 

Deputy St Pier is calling for: 

1. Health and Social Care to publish the Learning Report on the gov.gg website so that the community can understand the concerns raised and that demonstrate that HSC is committed to affecting change.

2. A new health and social care complaints process - which "needs to be far more robust and have independent oversight".

Deputy St Pier said: "The imbalance between patient and clinician should not extend into the complaints process. The perception that the profession can cover for each other, has to be broken if patients and their families are to feel comfortable coming forward with their concerns, and proper learning is to happen."

3. A new regulatory framework, which Deputy St Pier said HSC was directed to develop in 2019 and "must now be seen as an essential, and urgent part of the quality assurance framework for healthcare in the Bailiwick".

4. A programme of independent inspection, from the Care Quality Commission or a similar organisation.

Deputy St Pier said: "We cannot rely on self-reflection to maintain and raise our standards. It is demonstrably not working. Independent inspection in Education has reaped significant benefits, and surely there can be no argument for such a vital quality assurance tool not to be part of HSC’s internal controls."

5. A public appeal for those with historic or current concerns to come forward – facilitated by HSC - with a guarantee to families that there will be no negative repercussions arising for them.

6. An independent and urgent external inspection of the paediatrics department, commissioned by HSC, to both assess historic cases of concern and the current quality of care, behaviours and culture.

Deputy St Pier said: "Only in this way, can Guernsey families, taxpayers and this Assembly be reassured that the risk of further trauma and harm to vulnerable families has been mitigated."

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