David Nunn, the senior orthopaedic surgeon at Guy’s Hospital in London who caused a stir by laying down the law to Prime Minister David Cameron, Nick Clegg and a herd of journalists during a photo opportunity has reportedly been reprimanded and sent on ‘garden leave’.
It is also reported that Mr Nunn is no stranger to controversy.
This year, in a letter to a newspaper, Mr Nunn criticised NHS managers making medical decisions ‘for which they are unqualified’.
In 2009, Mr Nunn said: ‘Vast amounts of money have been spent on employing people who manage pathways, policies and protocols, but who have no direct patient contact and who do not answer to clinicians. As a result, they have no incentive other than to see that their particular box has been ticked.’
Controversial indeed. How could he even contemplate speaking the truth, even if the general public are already fully aware of the situation.
Who loses their job when financial cut are made? Managers? No. Nursing and medical staff? Yes. And to oversee these cuts they very often seem to employ a highly paid manager.
Purely a personal view, but if politicians really cared about the patients they would arrange low-key visits without an entourage of photographers and media personnel in tow. Less blowing of own trumpets, more real concern.