A Doctor's Note

iPM has been looking at a story that's causing much concern among doctors. The row involves the suspension of a junior doctor over comments made on an internet forum, which, it's claimed insulted another doctor. Specifically, Professor Dame Carol Black. She is Director for Health and Work for HMG, a powerful and controversial figure.

The Inverness Courier has the details, and reports that:

The incident has already created a minor celebrity status for the Inverness trainee, who is known only as Dr Scot Junior on web-blogs and other internet forums.

That's certainly the case with a host of medical blogs weighing in on the issue, including Dr Rant, Dr Grumble, The Witch Doctor and the blog NHSexposed
For more on this, Eddie has been speaking to Dr.Tim Ringrose from doctors.net.uk, who run the forums where the message was posted.

UPDATE: In his response Tim urges people to think before posting online. The concern of many bloggers is that the thought passing through the mind of a doctor about to post to a forum may not be, "unprofessional language may get me in trouble" but, "criticising senior figures may get me in trouble". It's why the debate around the issue, while partially about the proportionality of the action taken against the doctor in question, has also been about the ability of doctors to criticise those in charge of their profession. Remedy UK has plenty to say on that issue.

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