This letter was written to Stuff journalist Mildred Armah, and Stuff and Manawatū Standard editors, on behalf of GPA.
Dear Mildred, and the Stuff and Manawatū Standard editorial teams,
I am writing as Chair of General Practitioners Aotearoa, in response to the January 27 article “Too scared to move: Woman feels ‘nailed to bed’ after allegedly being denied pain medication”.
I want to thank you for choosing to remove the name of the doctor involved in this story, and ask that you consider carefully whether naming doctors is appropriate in future articles.
We understand the value of open information, particularly when it is in the public interest. However this must be balanced against the effect it can have on the named doctor.
General practitioners (GPs) are particularly vulnerable to this. We operate without the supports of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand or a hospital, and are often self-employed contractors or small business owners.
We also operate within our communities, and it can take many years to build the trust of patients who are skeptical of the health system.
Being named in a negative story can have devastating effects on a GP’s patient relationships, career and personal life.
I note that in this case, there had been no complaint to the Health and Disability Commissioner, and that other medical sources generally agreed the doctor was likely following guidelines and a best practice approach.
As it happens, I am a pain specialist GP. I wouldn’t wade in on this case without knowing the patient’s particular details, but I would hedge a bet that her GP is deeply concerned about the pain she experiences and is working hard to find a treatment plan that addresses her pain and reduces the overall risk to her health.
Chronic pain is terrible. The patient in this story deserves great compassion, and she deserves the best care available. I just want to make sure compassion is also extended to her GP, who is likely doing his best to help her in our broken system. The GP does not deserve to have his life ruined.
Dr Charlotte Hill hit the nail on the head when she said that “GPs are inadequately funded and resourced to be able to follow best practice in the way that they want to”. The story you have reported here is very important, and the real culprit is systemic, not an individual doctor. I would be happy to talk further about the failings of the primary healthcare system, and what the solutions would look like.
You are most welcome to quote me on anything written in this letter, or to contact me for comment on any follow-up stories.
Ngā mihi,
Dr Buzz Burrell MBBS MRCPI FRNZCGP FDRHMNZ FFPMANZCA
Chair
General Practitioners Aotearoa