Christmas Adjournment

The rules in the Nuremberg convention were clear some 50 years ago. The changing of rules is no excuse for inaction. The GMC’s failings in this regard continue. I made a specific reference to the GMC about the research projects a few months ago to ensure that this particular issue had been considered. The GMC, however, has still not been capable of responding on matters when the facts are entirely clear. The argument is that the CHRE is there as the white knight in shining armour waiting to rescue patients from the inaction of the GMC. The problem is that the CHRE can act only when a fitness to practise panel has made a decision. If a GMC case examiner decides to reject a complaint, the only option is judicial review. I am aware of two cases, neither of them relating to Dr. Southall, to which that applies. It means that people with little means have almost no recourse, as the funding of judicial review proceedings is a difficult matter. The issue relating to Dr. Southall will not go away. There has been a widespread attempt to conceal what has been done, but we cannot tolerate the turning of a blind eye to his activities. The point has been made to me that this sort of thing does not happen today, so I should not worry. However, unless we are willing to take enforcement action on what has happened in the past, no one can have any confidence that we will take enforcement action today. Furthermore, Dr. Southall has been barred only from child protection work; he can still work in other fields. Dr. Southall’s history is more complex because of the interrelationship between the unethical research and false allegations made by him, mainly in the family courts but also in the criminal courts. His secret medical files have been a key part of that. He kept the knowledge of their existence from the courts. Furthermore, the lack of action to maintain its integrity makes the national health service institutionally complicit in the destruction of evidence. Dr. Southall’s ability to come up with random unsubstantiated and unreasonable allegations about other people must be second to none. What amazes me is that it has gone on for so long. I worry about what Dr. Southall does when he goes abroad. There are difficult issues relating to medical ethics and negligence. The Bolam test is an understandable part of the process. We also need to stop trying to blame someone every time something bad happens: sometimes bad things happen and they are no one’s fault. It is not surprising that people use unethical techniques to attempt to turn the finger of blame away from them when it should not really point at anyone. It remains the case, however, that we cannot continue to cover up the history of the research projects managed by Dr. Southall. Action needs to be taken to enforce the rules. As an absolute minimum, the Secretary of State for Health must obtain and keep secure a complete copy of the special case files, including those kept at Dr. Southall’s charity and any kept elsewhere. Turning a blind eye is not acceptable. I am sorry to have rushed through that lengthy speech, but I wanted to confine it to 10 minutes. The point that I want to make about Christmas is that we in Birmingham do not wish people a happy Winterval. We in Birmingham wish them a happy Christmas—that is displayed on the Council House—so happy Christmas, everyone!