Doctor moaned of ‘post-Shipman’ culture
SHAMED GP Jane Barton dismissed the investigation into suspicious deaths at Gosport as a ‘ hassle’ and decried the scrutiny she faced as ‘ritual humiliation’.
The insights into Barton’s mindset are among more than 43,000 documents released by the Gosport Independent Panel following the publication of its report last week.
A testy letter from 2001 sheds new light on how Barton perceived the growing clamour for her to be prosecuted – a cry for justice that has only intensified since the report’s publication.
As concerns grew about her and families of her dead patients began to complain, she was informed by the NHS she had been classified as ‘giving cause for concern’.
In reply, Barton railed against the ‘unstoppable momentum of complaint and investigation’, and included a reference to Harold Shipman, the GP suspected of killing hundreds of his patients. She wrote: ‘The postShipman... culture with the associated ritual humiliation leaves the medical profession unacceptably vulnerable.’
The retired GP, 69, is thought to be in hiding and is yet to respond to the damning report, which said she oversaw ‘disregard for human life’ at Gosport War Memorial Hospital. It is claimed her actions could have claimed up to 650 lives.
The documents reveal Barton’s negative attitude to the probes into her conduct, at times expressing herself with flippant jokes and at others bitterly protesting about a perceived lack of protection for doctors.
In one note, Barton thanks her colleagues at the Forton Medical Centre for their support. It is undated but is thought to originate just before her retirement on a full NHS pension in 2010. Written entirely in capitals, the note states: ‘Thank you all for your support and kindness throughout the investigations and the associated hassle. Thank you for putting up with my sometimes scatty and trying behaviour.’ THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND KINDNESS THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED HASSLE. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH MY SOMETIMES SCATTY AND TRYING BEHAVIOUR. THANK YOU FOR THE FLOWERS THEY ARE LOVELY. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU EAT MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE CHOCKY BISCUITS BEFORE DR STOCKER GETS BACK. HAVE A HAPPY AND RELAXED CHRISTMAS. SEE YOU TONIGHT!!!!! JANE BARTON