The father of a junior physician who took her personal life says motion should be taken to alter a “toxic environment” on the hospital the place she labored.
Dr Ravi Kumar, who additionally works for the NHS, was talking forward of the publication of a report into allegations of bullying on the University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Trust, one of many largest hospital trusts in England.
The report has additionally examined claims of threats of disciplinary motion towards whistleblowers.
Dr Vaishnavi Kumar killed herself in June final yr. The 35-year-old had been working on the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Hospital Birmingham.
Her mother and father say she left a word earlier than taking a deadly overdose.
“She wrote a letter,” her father advised Sky News. “She very clearly mentioned that she was doing this because of the QE hospital.”
After taking the overdose she waited three hours to name an ambulance. Her father says that when paramedics arrived “she said under no circumstances was she going to the QE hospital”.
Dr Kumar says his daughter was “bright, fun-loving and compassionate” however issues modified quickly after she started working on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
“She began dealing with this poisonous atmosphere and she or he began getting a bit extra anxious and tearful and typically when she was getting back from work will say that persons are belittling her and demeaning her.
“She used to get very stressed with some consultants when she was doing the handover because of the way they used to treat her during the handover, laughing at her for treatments and things like that.
“And she being a really senior registrar and likewise fairly skilled and popular with all of the others, that was changing into… it was taking a toll on her.”
‘Each day is a wrestle’
Dr Kumar says he hopes the Trust acts on the findings of the report.
“The first thing is to realise, accept that this has happened. The second thing is to find out why it has happened and action be taken” he mentioned.
“It makes me angry and at the same time worried about other junior doctors who are going to follow her.
“Our lives stopped on the 22 June and it’s totally exhausting. Each day is a wrestle.
“Now my main worry is to stop it happening to others and that is why I want to bring this forward so people realise that there is a toxic atmosphere”.
The overview into UHB has been chaired by Professor Mike Bewick, a former deputy medical director at NHS England, who’s now an unbiased marketing consultant.
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The Trust employs greater than 20,000 folks. As nicely because the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham it additionally operates Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, and Solihull Hospital.
In 2021 the Care Quality Commission rated the Trust as “requires improvement” and highlighted considerations about affected person security.
A spokesperson for University Hospitals Birmingham mentioned: “Dr Vaishnavi Kumar was a a lot liked and revered physician, who was well-liked with colleagues and sufferers alike. Her surprising dying was a tragedy and our heartfelt condolences stay with Vaishnavi’s household.
“We have reflected on our response to Vaishnavi’s death, have learnt lessons from this, and are acting on them.
“Dr Kumar needs his daughter’s dying to lead to enhancements within the help supplied to all docs in coaching and to see a change within the tradition of the Trust. We are happy that he has agreed to work with the Trust on this.”
The Trust mentioned it is going to reply in full to the findings of the report by Professor Bewick after it has been revealed.
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can name Samaritans for assistance on 116 123 or electronic mail [email protected] within the UK. In the US, name the Samaritans department in your space or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
Source: information.sky.com”
