Bahrain medics 'promoted unrest'

3 May 2011 Last updated at 15:58 GMT The Salmaniya Medical Centre in Manama became a shelter for pro-democracy protesters Bahrain's justice minister has said 47 medical workers will be charged with acting against the state during the recent unrest in the Gulf kingdom.

The 23 doctors and 24 nurses had promoted efforts to bring down the Sunni monarchy and spread false news, Khaled Bin Ali Al Khalifa alleged.

Activists say medics are being punished for treating pro-democracy protesters hurt in clashes with security forces.

On Monday, two ex-MPs from main Shia opposition group Wifaq were arrested.

Matar Matar and Jawad Fairuz were taken from their homes in the evening and had not been heard of since, members of Wifaq said.

Mr Matar had continued to speak out against Bahrain's heavy-handed clampdown on demonstrators, the imposition of martial law in 15 March, and the bringing in of troops from neighbouring Sunni-ruled Gulf states.

Medical profession 'abused'

Bahraini forces stormed the Salmaniya Medical Centre in Manama - the country's largest hospital - last month as they attempted to quell the protests led mostly by Shia majority community.

The hospital had become a shelter for demonstrators and doctors were providing information on the number of dead and wounded.

Officials said the facility had been "overrun by political and sectarian activity". Dozens of doctors, nurses and other medical staff disappeared.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Sheikh Khaled read out the charges facing the medics, which included promoting efforts to bring down the government, harming the public by spreading false news, embezzlement of public funds, forcefully occupying a public building, incitement, and participating in illegal protests.

The Reuters news agency said the medics were also being charged with "assault that led to death". It quoted the justice minister as saying they had caused the deaths of two protesters by inflicting additional wounds to one and performing unnecessary surgery on another.

Bahrain has clamped down on pro-democracy protests, which it accuses Iran of fomenting

"The medical profession was strongly abused during this period," he said.

Physicians for Human Rights has said there is "hard evidence of systematic and co-ordinated attacks against medical personnel because of their efforts to provide unbiased care for wounded protesters".

At least 30 people have been killed in Bahrain since mid-February. Among them were four policemen, and four opposition supporters who died in custody. More than 400 other people are facing trial.

Last week, four Shias were sentenced to death and three others jailed for life by a military court for the alleged killing of two security men. Human rights groups have urged the Bahraini authorities to halt the sentences.

The media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, added King Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa to its blacklist of "predators" against press freedom.

The Bahraini authorities deny any human rights abuses. They accuse Iran of fomenting the unrest - a charge which Tehran denies.

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Medics urge emergency op shake-up

7 April 2011 Last updated at 06:14 GMT The RCS claim patients "frequently wait far too long for a space on an emergency operating list" A report from the Royal College of Surgeons says lives are being put at risk because some hospitals focus too much on waiting lists for routine surgery rather than on emergency operations.

It claims emergency patients account for up to half the NHS surgical workload in Wales and England, but that deaths rates and complications vary widely between hospitals

Local health boards are looking at centralised specialist centres. They say the RCS report endorses the plans.

The RCS has published a list of new standards to help hospitals in Wales and England "to get things right".

It says priority is often given to routine surgery in order to meet "arbitrary targets" and which delays vital surgery, resulting in "poor outcomes for patients".

Colin Ferguson, RCS director of professional affairs for Wales, said it is common in every branch of surgery to see patients with serious conditions given a lower priority than they deserve.

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Because perhaps patients are not managed as patients but rather to accommodate targets, that's why we are seeing these anomalies in the system”

End Quote Prof Ceri Phillips Health economist He claimed patients are often placed in inappropriate wards and frequently wait far too long for a space on an emergency operating list.

"These patients should be treated in centres that can offer the highest quality of care," he said.

"Sadly, this is currently often not the case."

The RCS say while detailed performance statistics are gathered for routine, pre-planned operations, there is currently little gathered on timeliness of emergency surgery.

Among its recommendations it calls for better monitoring of emergency patients, and dedicated wards and access to critical care.

Professor Ceri Phillips, health economist at Swansea University, said the report was warning that not properly managing emergency patients was actually increasing the cost to the NHS.

He said targets for emergency and A&E admissions puts pressure on other parts of the system.

"Because perhaps patients are not managed as patients but rather to accommodate targets, that's why we are seeing these anomalies in the system," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"What we probably need to think about, and it has been suggested, is that we see a clear demarcation between emergency surgical procedures and elective procedures.

"For example, it has been suggested that over the Christmas period, we do not plan any routine surgery because of the pressure on beds in hospital.

'Highly-equipped'

"Obviously this goes against some of the things we've been talking about in terms of waiting times, but it does mean patients with emergency needs can be dealt with in an appropriate and effective and efficient manner rather than an ad hoc basis."

Kate Watkins, acting director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, which represents local health boards, said it would be considering the recommendations to see what improvements they could make.

She said the report backs the argument that it was crucial to have fully staffed and equipped emergency facilities, which currently can't be safely provided in all hospitals across Wales because the expertise would be spread too thinly.

"That is why some health boards in Wales are looking to provide all emergency surgery in one central, highly-equipped and staffed centre of excellence, supported by very effective emergency transport," she said.

Wales' chief medical officer Dr Tony Jewell said it is for NHS organisations to "ensure they have the appropriate skill mix of staff to meet fluctuating demand".

"Emergency departments aim to stabilise patients ready for surgery, usually at the same hospital, but where specialised surgery is required, we would expect patients to be transferred to the appropriate hospital to ensure they receive the best care," he said.

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