I have been giving this some thought for the past few days since I read the excellent post on NHS 'Behind the Headlines'. I am a mere babe in GP blogging terms but I have been giving serious consideration to 'de-anonymising' my blog. Many bloggers including, amongst others, Jobbing Doctor, The Witch Doctor, Dr Grumble, Dr Crippen and Dr Andrew Brown are anonymous and some have been hammering at the doors of the great and good for some time with righteous indignation.
It is not really my style, tempting as it is, to launch such attacks and I have been questioning the need for anonymity at all. I am not particularly concerned by the consequences of my posts - they are relatively milky mild and unlikely to provoke offence. Why not 'fess up and show my cards?
However, the prospect of these bloggers being forcibly de-masked and facing GMC castigation is a worrying one. For the moment I am going to stay anonymous; a change now feels too much like a knee-jerk reaction and if for no other reason but to show some solidarity.
An idea!
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I have a suggestion for our latest health ministers. Now, let me see, who
are the health ministers this month? Ah Yes, Mr Andrew 'Andy' Burnham MP and
Mr M...
2 hours ago
5 comments:
Dear ND,
I have no illusions that if the authorities wanted to know who I was they could do this relatively easily. As a GP partner, I have some autonomy. I could be jeopardising my position on the PCT and as a course organiser if I do this, but I am senior enough for this not to matter much.
One doctor very high up in General Practice (and old friend and a confidant) knows who I am, and I trust this doctor to respect my anonymity: I believe this still to be so.
Two of my partners know who JD is, as do my course organiser colleagues. They regard the posts as amusing, whiny, scabrous, tedious, and informative; but none of them have told me to stop. Even my GP (at a different practice and a wonderful man) knows who I am.
Why don't I come out, then? Partly to protect the confidentiality of my patients, I guess.
And I can post an impossibly lovely (fake) picture of myself - and dream a bit!
Don't stop blogging - you are good at it.
Thank you JD for the comments. Currently only my wife knows of blogging and I am employed by a PCT for some of my work.
That said, I don't feel unduly anxious about it all and I am not going to stop.
ND
I love you :) [ Sorry JD, bit of competition here for you]
Please don't stop blogging. I shall miss you. In fact we found you and quoted you cause you are indeed so cool and excellent.
Don't worry RE GMC. They don't chase you unless you chase them. Moreover, even if the GMC does unmask you - we shall all be there to defrock the GMC for you.
JL simply wrote the piece so you are all aware of the pitfalls.
1. Don't post clinical stuff
2. Keep to contructive criticism and parody.
3. Read Good Medical practise and the GMC's guidance on free speech - they do have one - just that they dont apply it to me.
Rita Pal
Dear Rita,
Thank you too! I think that was the position I was nestling into - very neatly summarised by yourself. The JL post highlighted the issues well but I hope I don't have to resort to a Burma-esque proxy server just yet (as you alluded to elsewhere).
If I ever did, I think it would be a sign more than ever that we had to keep blogging.
BTW - quite jaw-droppingly impressive posts at NHS Exposed. Love it.
ND
So the question is, do you speak with a Northern accent :)????
JD will inform you that I am a hopeless but harmless flirt. All this rebellion has caused me to have a few addictions
1. Northen men
2. Scottish men
3. Ice-cream
4. Chocolate.
JD has no solutions for me.
Yes, NHS Exposed is a large website. Built as the first of the radical websites in the year 2000 in response to Richard Smith in the BMJ - it was a challenge on material he would not publish. My challenge was that I would never be sued for material he refused to publish. To this day, I have never been sued. The website then grew as did its traffic. With it comes adventures sadly.
GMC takes an unhealthy interest in me but who can blame them. I am positive that in the end their interest relates to my collection of wonderbras :).
RP
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