Censure one, censure all, surgeons tell hospital

By MARTIN JOHNSTON


Colleagues of orthopaedic surgeon Bruce Twaddle, facing possible discipline over his public statements, have jumped to his support.

Ten Auckland City Hospital orthopaedic surgeons have signed a letter to hospital general manager Meng Cheong, objecting to the handling of the row.

Mr Twaddle, the hospital's head of orthopaedic trauma, was on Friday called before Mr Cheong to account for comments in the Herald, repeated on television, saying restrictions on resources were compromising patient care.

His comments were made around the opening of the new Auckland City Hospital this month, but there has been tension between him and Auckland District Health Board chairman Wayne Brown.

Mr Twaddle is expected to know today whether disciplinary action will be taken against him.

The board yesterday declined to comment on the letter.

Ian Powell, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, has labelled as a "witch-hunt" the management's questioning of Mr Twaddle and warnings issued against two other specialists for their public statements. The union has challenged the warnings.

Mr Powell said yesterday the letter confirmed that Mr Twaddle had spoken in the interests of patient care and safety, which was permitted under the relevant senior doctors' collective agreement.

"For the management to, in whatever way, reprimand Mr Twaddle would be an attack on patient advocacy."

Mr Twaddle is due to deliver tomorrow to an orthopaedic surgery conference survey results, previously summarised in the Herald, which show his hospital performs worse than internationally accepted guidelines on delays for acute orthopaedic surgery.


The surgeons' letter

"Bruce [Twaddle, right] has only said what we have all felt with regard to the inpatient beds and operating theatre time available to treat the patients [who have broken bones].

"He has acted purely as an advocate for the patients we all treat and wish to help.

"We feel that it is inappropriate that Bruce should be censured for representing his patients in this manner.

"Any censure delivered to Bruce would be considered to be delivered equally to each of us and we would act accordingly."