This investigation stems from my first contact with consultant urologist Peter Duffy who has become one of the UK's most prominent NHS whistle-blowers.
Peter and I began talking back in August 2018 shortly after the conclusion of an employment tribunal which ruled he had been constructively and unfairly dismissed.
Peter had worked for the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust since the early 2000s. Medical professionals are obliged to report any clinical concerns they might have, in the interests of patient safety, and as such Peter flagged up to his bosses incidents involving some of his colleagues within the urology department.
As a result Peter says he was bullied, pressured, demoted and ostracised to the extent where he felt he had little choice but to leave the job he loved so much.
Why now?...
Over the last 12 months I have been working closely with Peter to raise awareness about the way he was treated and, more importantly, to make the public aware of the seriousness of the concerns he had and the consequences of the clinical incidents he reported.
Throughout that process I came across patients and their families who had been kept in the dark for many years and, even more worryingly, it seemed that mistakes were still being made. More patients are now choosing to come forwards in response to the publicity generated by Peter's courage and my investigation.
This investigation very quickly evolved from being one which aimed to improve transparency to one which became a whistle-blower in its own right.
This blog tells the story of my investigation - from the outset, and one which continues today.
Amy Fenton
17th August 2019
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