Inspirational: the Chief Medical Officers for Scotland

The Chief Medical Officers for Scotland have been a huge inspiration to me.

I was delighted to hear, earlier this year, that Dr Catherine Calderwood had been appointed to this office to replace Harry Burns. My full support goes to Dr Calderwood in her appointment.

Last year I spoke at a Civic Trust event in Glasgow and was fortunate to follow Sir Harry Burns. His talk on “salutogenesis” accorded with all that Hole Ousia is about.

Kenneth Calman was the Chief Medical Officer before Harry Burns. No other Scottish doctor has inspired Hole Ousia writings more than Kenneth Calman.

In my need to put patients first I have included the Director General for NHS Scotland in e-mails that I have considered important to patient safety and well-being. I admit to being persistent in this matter.

Communications sent but unanswered:
No response came from the office of the Director General for NHS Scotland. With this experience I eventually asked for a “read receipt”.  This appeared to establish that my communications were being received.  Following this, I reluctantly made a FOI request to the Scottish Government to ask why I had received no response to my communications. This was the reply:

I cannot understand why the Director General did not re-direct my 
communications from outset.

The above film ends with the promise as made by  the Director General for NHS Scotland.

The consequence for me, as an NHS Consultant, for raising questions about patient safety:

Footnote to the above e-mail:

I am not a "locum consultant". I am a substantive Consultant with 
NHS Lothian.

I agree with the Chief Medical Officer that my concerns relate to 
openness and accountability of the Scottish Government and 
especially its "advisors".

In my telephone conversation with the Chief Medical Officer, 
Dr Calderwood, I found that she never once asked about 
my wellbeing. Instead she seemed on guard, ill at ease:
almost as if she was hiding an ulterior motive for contacting 
my employers?

My advice to the Scottish Government: do not be tempted, on the 
advice of your advisors, to so easily LABEL anybody for 
raising concerns. If only these senior officials were able
to "See me" as simply trying my best to put patients first.