“Ungagged - The Sons of Bevan" as told to us by Doctor Lance Forbat.
“Ungagged - The Sons of Bevan" as told to us by Doctor Lance Forbat.
My memoir, “Ungagged - The Sons of Bevan” is about the experiences of a doctor whose career crossed paths with bad or misguided individuals who continue to have a disruptive influence on the safe functioning of our NHS.
Stephen Bolsin, the anaesthetist who exposed the Bristol baby scandal leading to the Kennedy report, has kindly written the forward. In his last sentence he wrote:
“I hope that this memoir may help the NHS improve. The sadness is that these stories still need to be told, when we should have learned sooner. Perhaps the question to be asked is – Why is the NHS such a slow learner? “
My aim in this personal account, is to offer a voice to all those brave whistleblowers in the NHS and all those afraid to raise concerns, for fear of reprisals.
Now, 24 years after being sacked for raising concerns in the NHS and with no means of compensation for destroying my career and the effects on my family life, I want accountability.
In publishing my memoir, I want to reach the widest audience, so parliament has no option other than listen and to change the law (such as as the new Whistleblowing law in progress) but furthermore, make it possible to properly compensate whistleblowers historically and currently affected, ask for an amnesty on existing compromise agreements in the NHS (gagging clauses) so no one can hide from bad practices and those in positions of power, can no longer cover up their actions.
Imagine yourself or partner in my shoes. On New Years Eve in 2002 after being notifed by letter, that I had been sacked from Weston General Hospital Trust, I was contemplating my first day as an unemployed doctor. I had lost my reputation as a result of early press coverage of ’top doctor sacked’ and fueled by the Trust comments in local papers, with unsubstantiated claims I was disorganised, there were concerns about my clinical decisions etc, to which I could not respond. This was before the NCCA cleared me of incompetence. I was also referred to the GMC. Unknown then, a scandal was brewing, resulting in the sacking of the CEO, Roger Moyse, for overseeing fiddling of waiting lists, linked to managers bonus payments. Now I was heavily in debt, as my private income I relied on for school fees stopped immediatley when suspended (on garden leave) that summer and the Trust wrote to BUPA and Nuffield hospitals, who removed my privileges. The family were devistated and embarrased to be seen in public.
I explain more in my memoir on the financial impact of suddenly being sacked, losing months of income and as my reputation was instantly destroyed, I lost my private income. I have an interest only mortgage so I will have to sell my house by the end of this year to pay my debts.
We hope to have enough equity to downsize and own a property to eventually retire in, near to half of our grandchildren. The other grandchildren are in Sydney, Australia. Sadly we last had a holiday 5 years ago. We can’t even contemplate revisiting.
My last new car I bought was in 2000, when I was a Consultant In Whitehaven. Between arriving in 1995 and leaving in 2002, I set up the first Cardiac Unit in Cumbria single handed.
Since then I learned to do major services and repairs, replacing rusted bodywork including respraying our two second hand cars, a 2005 BMW and 2007 VW.
I hope to restore my reputation and use my memoir as a platform to speak out at meetings and lobby on behalf of all those affected.
If I can get media interest, to tell my story, that would be an extra bonus. Indeed, the doctors union (HCSA) read my manuscript and said it is unique and must be published. They also said they can’t wait for the Netflix series. This is because the title "Ungagged- The Sons of Bevan" derives from the MP Aneurin Bevan who launched the NHS and the Sons of Anarchy I watched when unemployed. Here I saw the motorbike gangs running Charters like Trusts and personalities and the culture mimicked those I experienced in the NHS! My journey from boy to consultant and whistleblower began as long ago as those sacked in the Post Office Scandal!
We must make sure that this cannot ever be allowed to happen to anyone again. Indeed, I hope The Office of The Whistleblower is passed in Parliament in the New Year and can prevent this scandal
So publishing in my memoir and telling my life story warts and all, I hope it will connect on a personal level with everyone who values our NHS and stir them to take action, as walking on by let’s bad things continue.
My prediction is when 'The Office of The Whistleblower' bill is passed in Parliament it will precipitate a change in the culture.
Please share my GoFundMe page, support in any way, donate if able, every single pound will count, so my memoir can be published. I will share exactly what I spend at each stage. Stage 1 is a 40% down payment of £915.30 in proofreading, page design and artwork for the cover. Stage 2, is when the print run is ready, in about 3 months, when the remaining 60% is due.
