[tri-med] Re: Request for help, please

----- Original Message ----- 
 From: "Barbara Farlow" 
>I understand that you have a social health care system in Austrailia 
also. In Canada, we have grand policies and procedures but no 
accountability.>>

Barbara,
Perhaps I can lend a hand in explaining this. I wish I was in a 
position to help you with this, but as I have explained, I can't at 
the moment.

In all things there is a system - and the medical system is no 
exception. Unfortunately the hospital system is intimatey entwined in 
the political system, especially in those countries where their is 
public health.

Hospitals have procedures and policies in place that are supposed to 
be adhered to. If they aren't the first step is an internal review, 
which Barbara has done. If the hospital finds a problem (IF being the 
operative word as its internal) about all they will do is either 
change the policiy or introduce education. 

The next step is to take it to the monitoring body, which I 
understand Canada has none. Here in Australia we have the Health Care 
Complaints system in all states for most things and for others we 
have an Ombudsmen. But even so they are severely limited in what 
action they can take.

If there is criminal action you can also take it to the police, but 
they are limited because they are advised by other doctors. It is 
VERY hard to get one docter to speak out against another because if 
they do they face sanctions within their own profession, in short 
they will never work again. If they do speak out its usually due to 
media pressure or to speak out against the system, very rarely will 
they condemn another health professionals action. In Barbara's case I 
think you will find that its worse because what happened to Annie 
happens more frequently, and under the blessings (though covert) of 
the doctor more often than we care to admit.

In the case of death the police or an individual may refer it to the 
coroner, as Barbara has done. But if he makes no ruling of criminal 
action there is nothing that the police can do.

All that Barbara has left is to take the fight to her local 
politician and the media, and that is where she is seeking your help. 
Barbara can not take legal action herself.

Only the crown can lay criminal charges and as the coroner has found 
no criminal action in Annies death they wont. 

And there is absolutely no claim for civil action where our children 
are concerned. To make a civil case there has to be a loss. Because 
our children have a shortened life span and because they will 
probably never earn an income there is no economic loss to make a 
claim for damages there. The loss of a human life and the emotional 
consequences of their death is not enough as far as our children are 
concerned because the defenders will claim that Barbara was saved the 
pain of raising a severely disabled child and only hastened the 
inevitable.

As I said Barbara's only recourse now is to urge everyone to take 
this to their politicians and the media. You may not be in Canada but 
thats no reason that you can't help lay seige on them for her. As a 
list we have done it before (remember Chromosome Thingy).

Anon (for personal reasons only)

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