Annex A > Chapter 27 - Concerns 1992 > Concerns > Concerns raised by clinicians outside Bristol
<< previous | next >>
Concerns raised by clinicians outside Bristol
14 There was evidence that there were at the same time rumours circulating outside Bristol. Dr GP Taylor was one of the few referring paediatricians who informed the Inquiry that he was aware of rumours in the early 1990s that, as he put it: `all was not well at Bristol'. He stated that he could not recollect the precise source of the rumour, but that it was significant enough for him to discuss with Dr Jordan. Dr Taylor said that he: `received reassurance [i.e. from Dr Jordan] that the situation was under review and that there was no cause for concern'. [15]
15 Dr Jordan was asked about Dr Taylor's evidence. [16] Dr Jordan said:
`We used to have sort of what one might call general discussions and I cannot recall Dr Taylor standing out from other paediatricians that I did clinics with as particularly pursuing any sort of discussion of this sort.
`All I can say is that we did discuss very generally not only our plans but also our results and to some extent the discussion included a "warts and all" approach to it so it may well be I had actually, you know, talked about things that were of concern to us as well ... for example that we still had not, right up to the time that I retired, got the cardiac surgery moved up the road. That is of particular importance to paediatricians because paediatricians are really very keen on the idea that children should be looked after in a paediatric environment.' [17]
16 Asked whether such a `warts and all' discussion with paediatricians would have included discussion of particular procedures being carried out at Bristol, Dr Jordan said:
`I think it would only be if I was specifically asked. Bear in mind that if we are dealing with transposition with intact intraventricular septum ... paediatricians ... would see one case in every five years or something like that.
`I do not think it is reasonable to suppose that Dr Taylor specifically had a problem over his patients or indeed from any information that he would have got from what I might call reliable sources. ... I think it would be very difficult for a paediatrician to form a view on his own about, for example, what our success rate was in [the] neonatal arterial switch operation.' [18]
<< previous | next >> | back to top
Footnotes
[15] Consultant paediatrician, Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske, Truro; REF 0001 0042
[16] See also Chapter 11