My name is Dr Soe Win. I have been on Hunger Strike for Pateint Safey and fairness to OTDs in front of the Executive Building (Queensland Premier's Office) on George St in Brisbane since 01 August 2005.
I would like to have the following story published in newspapers. Could anyone organise news release for me please? Thank you.
Patient Safety, Misconduct and Harassment at Gold Coast Hospital
"Eight other doctors including a consultant saw a patient, but none of them took appropriate action, though twisted testis is a surgical emergency.”
Dr Soe Win, an Australian doctor trained overseas with a Master’s degree in Clinical Tropical Medicine, worked as a medical doctor in Burma, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. He is a very capable medical doctor with a wide range of clinical experience. This was proven when he passed all the sixteen stations at the Australia
Medical Council (AMC) Clinical Exam and was the only candidate to do so at that Exam.
In late 2002, Dr Win was specifically requested by Queensland Health (QH) to apply for second year Resident Medical Officer (RMO2) positions and recruited as a RMO2 in accordance with the QH’s policy. This policy clearly states, “Australian resident overseas graduates with a pass in the AMC MCQ exam and eligible for registration under the section 133 should apply for RMO2 positions.” However, Dr Geoff Copland, the Deputy Chief of the Gold Coast Hospital (GCH), against this policy and the ALP’s and the Queensland Government’s Industrial Relations policy, put Dr Win on individual and unfair contract, and paid him at a first year RMO rate in 2003.
On Sunday and Monday 19-20 January 2003, eight other doctors at GCH including a consultant saw a patient with lower abdominal and testicular pain. However, they failed to make a diagnosis of twisted testis. Though testicular torsion is a surgical emergency and the prognosis is time-dependent, none of them took appropriate action. And thus, the patient’s testicle became dead and was later removed surgically.
Since then, Dr Win has been made, for their negligence, a scapegoat and harassed throughout 2003, though at no time, did he have involvement with that patient because he was not on duty on that Sunday and was assigned to see patients elsewhere on that Monday.
A few months later, Dr Win came across another patient incident where no supervision was provided to a junior registrar doing a hip replacement surgery (major operation). As a result, the patient’s leg was 90 degree laterally and abnormally rotated.
Dr Win had requested GCH several times to deal with his grievances. Instead of fulfilling their obligation to provide workplace safety under the workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (QLD) and to provide Dr Win with both a safe place of work and a safe system of work, he was systemically and persistently [bleep], discriminated, intimidated and victimised.
GCH states that it is not fair for a medical officer to do four week of night duty. On the contrary, Dr Copland forced Dr Win to do four weeks of night duty. He (Dr Win) was also forced to do four relieving rotations out of five rotations at GCH whilst no RMOs were required to four relieving rotations (a total of forty-four weeks) at GCH in a year. Moreover, he was rostered to work with a different consultant on a weekly basis for ten weeks, in contrast; no other RMOs were rostered to work in such manner.
On 1 January 2004 (public holiday), Dr Copland flatly refused to provide another doctor as cover for a doctor who was off sick. It was extremely dangerous for Dr Win to do the work of two doctors in several wards for fourteen hours and so were the patients. Despite of danger for patients and him, he did his job as requested and in fact did most of the sick colleague’s duties on that day as well as his own. He was again forced to work another fourteen-hour shift on the following day. He then refused to continue working in this working condition for the sake of patients’ and his safety. His helpful nature was severely taxed by this incident.
Drs Copland and Polong frequently threatened him with dismissal and an action for slander and made unsubstantiated allegations and invalid performance assessments as part of persistent systemic [bleep], discrimination, intimidation and victimisation against him. They often threatened him that they would destroy his good reputation so that he would never work again as a doctor in Australia
. His salary was, in several occasions, not processed in time. A very good example is unreasonably delaying in processing my salary; my contract expires on 18 January 2004 but I got my salary payment on 29 February 2004 and another payment on 24 October 2004.
GCH did not follow their grievance procedures in a timely manner. At no time, was Dr Win provided with information about the correct grievance procedure and his complaints would not be dealt with under this procedure.
Most of Dr Win’s performance assessments done at GCH totally contradict each other and other available evidence. His performance was assessed against neither the accreditation standards required by the Medical Board of Queensland nor mutually agreed criteria though the Code of Conduct of QH. Dr Copland claimed that Dr Win did not perform well. Any primary evidence did not support his claim. No remedial measures were implemented. To the contrary, He (Dr Copland) posted him to work as a fully paid HMO (fourth year RMO) at the Robina Hospital.
Dr Win received excellent performance FEEDBACK
from his previous supervisors and employers. The following is one of the examples, Dr Jason Acworth, a senior consultant paediatrician, was Dr Win’s supervisor at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane. He officially assessed his performance with the following comments, “Dr Win is a very capable doctor. He has good communication skills, presented cases well, always had well-thought-out management plans and had good relationship with patients, parents, nursing staff and other doctors. Well done!”
I strongly believe that my case clearly shows how Queensland Hospitals mistreat all OTDs. If you are currently working at one of those hospitals, you should consider leaving Queensland ASAP. If you consider going there to work, you should think it twice, three times or more before you go.
If you happen to come across a similar problem, no one will help you to solve it. You will be on your own.
I have seen all bosses of Queensland Health one by one. None is willing to look into my matter. No wonder, there are many problems at Queensland Hospitals.
It is very obvious that the Deputy Medical Superintendent, who carried out an investigation into the patinet with testicular torsion in the Gold Coast Hospital, does not know what is common presentation of testicular torsion. It seems like he has never read the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine. So have the eight local doctors including the Consultant who have seen the patient. They just left the patient for two-three days without taking any appropriate action. They then passed the buck to me.
Any way, I sincerely wish all Queenslander healthy and good luck with their own doctors.
Dr Soe Win, MBBS, DTM&H, Master of Clincal tropical Medicine, AMC ceritficate
PO Box 563, Granville NSW 2142, Mob: 0400 763 946
and here is a newspaper article:
Doctor ordered away from hospital
By Johanna Leggatt
July 28, 2005
AN overseas trained doctor has been banned from going within 250m of a Queensland hospital after allegations he made threats against staff.
Three doctors and a hospital staff member from the Gold Coast Hospital allege Burmese-trained Dr Soe Win made threats against them in recent months.
Dr Win had worked at the hospital for a year before leaving in 2003.
Lawyers for the hospital staff today filed an application in Brisbane Magistrates Court, requesting Dr Win sign a peace and good behaviour bond which requires him to stay 250m away from the hospital.
Dr Win, who is not working as a doctor, signed the application after the lawyers added a clause stating he was not admitting to making the threats by signing it.
The bond also means Dr Win is not allowed near the homes of the four staff members and if he does cross their paths accidentally, he is not to "physically or verbally assault them".
The Gold Coast Hospital would not reveal any of the details of the alleged threats, but a spokeswoman said they were serious enough to warrant a court order.
"This was not a case of just saying something in the heat of the moment," she said.
However, outside of court, Dr Win said it was the hospital and not himself that had a case to answer.
He said he left the hospital in 2003 because there was a culture of [bleep] that distressed him.
Dr Win has also launched an anti-discrimination case against the Gold Coast Hospital, claiming he was made a scapegoat for other people.
"Not all foreign trained doctors are bad," he said.
"I mean I didn't kill anyone, I helped save lives."
However, the Gold Coast Hospital spokeswoman said the hospital was far from discriminatory against overseas trained doctors and said they valued their significant contribution.
While Dr Win was trained in Burma he has passed his Australian medical examinations and is an Australian citizen.
How much racism is prevalent in medical community in Australia
and societ in general? i have heard Australia
is more racist than say USA &Uk. what was white Australia
policy? is that kind of attitude is still prevalent in Australia
.
Also, i would like to know how much the "Dr.Death (dr.Jayant Patel) fiasco" at brandenburg hospital has affected the perception of Indian doctors?
Hey I invite all overseas doctors currently working in Oz to share their experiences of medical racism in Oz
Currently pondering on making a move to Oz particularly Queensland but not to sure bcos of all the negative FEEDBACK
, so wud Nonie et al currently working in Oz tell us if there exist racism cos the President of the AMA thinks so. Mind u excerpts from his speech below which was actually delivered in July 05
Quote:
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, members of the media, and everyone with an interest in medicine and health in this country.
It is a pleasure and a privilege to speak at the National Press Club as President of the Australian Medical Association.
I speak on behalf of AMA members and all the doctors who care for patients and serve the Australian health system every day.
I welcome you also to Family Doctor Week – the AMA’s annual tribute to Australia
’s hardworking GPs.
Good on you, GPs. Keep up the good work.
Our GPs are highly skilled, motivated and ethical health care experts who are a valuable resource to guide individual Australians and their healthcare.
To the nation as a whole, they provide an accessible and cost-effective method of providing top-notch services to the population. We must support them.
Well, the time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things.
But first – allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Mukesh Haikerwal.
As I have explained to radio journalists at 6.00am on many mornings over the last few years, that is:
M – U – K – E – S – H – Mukesh
H – A – I – K – E – R – W – A – L – Haikerwal
Hard to pronounce. Easy to remember.
I was born in India. I was raised in West Africa, my early years in pre-independent Nigeria.
I was schooled and nurtured in the United Kingdom where I gained my medical degree and post-graduate training.
I am an Australian citizen. I live with my wife, Karyn, and three boys in Melbourne.
I have two brothers - one a cardiologist in Melbourne, the other a computer scientist in the UK. All three of us are married to doctors.
I run a busy general practice in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs.
I have a healthy complexion - tanned and ageing well.
Oh, and by the way, I am what is known as an Overseas Trained Doctor – or an OTD, for short.
In some quarters, we are known as IMGs, or International Medical Graduates. But at the moment some of our OTDs are being called far worse things – through no fault of their own.
It is because of one infamous OTD known as Doctor Death. I could not come here today without mentioning Dr Patel and the tragic events at Bundaberg Hospital.
I won’t comment on the specifics of the case. There is a process in train in Queensland at the moment that is looking into it.
But those events in Queensland are reverberating around the country. There are good effects and there are bad effects.
I’ll talk about the good stuff throughout my speech, but first one of the bad effects.
Australia
is currently experiencing what I will call ‘medical racism’.
Because of the Patel case, doctors with funny names, accents, coloured skin and different backgrounds are getting a hard time.
Some patients are avoiding them. Some patients are abusing them. It is not right. This should not be happening
We have to stamp out medical racism before it takes hold.
Overseas trained doctors do not practise inferior medicine. Nor are they less committed to patient care
Anyone who is in Oz and can comment on the situation in Oz???
Sorry I managed to read this thread today only and I m really touched to read Dr Win's situation. I m sure such thing do exist , but when u compare the situation in our own country, is it different ??regarding working hours. We are all the time as an RMO working like donkey and never get credit. At least here if u work overtime, u r paid, unlike in our country. Question regarding racism!!!, wel to be frank, I havent experienced that so far. I m sure this too does exist and it is there everywhere in the world including India. In India its more related to economic backgroud. Well I may sound out of ordinary, but overall when u compare the working situation, from our country to Australia
I still favour Oz. If u average the cases of maltretament of doctors by bosses or patients or admonistrators, u will find india outweighs any country. Moderator , Plz edit my post if its unacceptable to write things like this about our country. But isnt this the "FACT"
Ther wont be a black or white answer to whether Oz iss a racist country. Plz provide defination of racism and then try to exclude which country is not including your own country whereever u are from. Moderator I invite ur comment, suggestion and querries. ass I said, do remove my post if its too prone to ignite teh forum
hiya nonie
thanks for ur input
it is always better to hear the inside story
my main fear of racism is perhaps when a patient would tell me on my face that he would prefer to be seen by a white. I am not concerned abut favouritism shown to whites in the medical hierarchy (that is the kind i have witnessed in India and I guess I would describe that as casteism).
Incidentally would it be too demanding if I ask you to elaborate on Queensland and why you prefer NSw and what did u mean trouble for OTDs in Qsland
Hi Nonie, I m working in Qld itself and me too personally havent had any such experience. I think, we must accept the fact that there would be few cases of experienceing racism and we keep our fingers crossed and hope we are not the ones.
Hi Plabotomy, Why I m moving out of QLD is becuase of fear that OTDs , especially the Indians myt be watched very closely on how they practice and what all they do.
Look!@!!!Its the fear taht even if I do a slightest of mistake which any individual can do, in QLD , i fear that as that mistake is done by an Indian, it may be blown out of proportion. Recently because of this Dr Death incidence, all over Qld, an enquiry commission was set up whch visited all hospitals and all grievances of patients, their relatives and nursing staff and other hopsital staff were listened to and perticular interest was paid to OTDs work. Although my fear may just be abstract, but its I thinkI ll feel more confident when I know that I not constantly watched over if I m out of Qld. Yet I would say, over last 1 year, I have enjoyed my work and co operation of nursing and other medical staff including our consultants and other fellow registrars
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