March 29, 2014
Do not name visiting speakers, hospital rules
Doctors and nurses at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital will be gagged from revealing details of talks by visiting experts amid concerns they could leave themselves open to complaints to the medical regulator.
A week after The West Australian revealed a senior Perth doctor had complained to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency about a talk given by voluntary euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke, the hospital’s department of pain management has instituted the Chatham House Rule.
The rule aims to prevent attendees from identifying who said what at the department’s regular Tuesday seminars.
According to an internal email, the complaint about Dr Nitschke – that could lead to him losing his medical licence – prompted several speakers, including a cancer researcher, to cancel.
“To many of the invited speakers AHPRA registration is essential so they can continue practising,” the email, which was sent by a staff doctor, said. “We all realise it is unlikely that they would say anything controversial for any of us to contact AHPTA> However they have no idea who is in the audience or how the audience will react. The AHPRA complaint has concerned many of them and (they) have therefore cancelled their talks.
“Anyone who comes to the meeting is free to quote from the discussion, but is not allowed tosay who made any comment.”
SCGH said its pain management department was “seeking to support a culture which encourages open and frank discussion at its weekly meetings without fear of adverse professional impact”.
Journalist: Kate Emery