Last week I was bullied & threatened for posting an article detailing 9 children had died through presenting late to hospital for parental fear of covid. As a doctor I am upset by this, children without underlying health conditions do not die of covid.

2. In the UK it appears that no healthy children under 10 appears to have died. Now we have a study suggesting parents are so scared that they may delay coming to hospital; 9 children have died. As a doctor, a parent & a human, this broke my heart.

3. But apparently this was a political point that I shouldn’t make. So it got me thinking about criticism of anyone who dares to speak out when they see things that to them appear wrong. In April I wrote this;

4. Amongst most doctors (who commented/emailed/texted) it was well supported as a needed article. Amongst some, it wasn’t. I was again bullied & harassed. There have now been numerous reports, articles & studies proving that what i described has happened.

5. And so in June having lived through the changes made for Covid in both primary & secondary care, I wrote this.

6. For this I had GP’s thank me for highlighting what they were also dealing with daily and at the same time I have been truly hounded, insulted personally and trolled by others. And yet, we are seeing evidence of this happening on a daily basis.

7. Then in July I wrote this about care homes during Covid times and more support but also vilification came forth. And yet now we know this to represent what was happening for Care Homes and the decisions made will play a part in any future enquiry.

8. So I reflected long & hard. Is it right to ‘go against the government line’ if you are in a position where you see evidence of harm for your patients & you are angry for them, frustrated at your helplessness. One may then be labelled, political, outlier, fringe, conspiracist

9. But I think these are insults to deflect from what you are really saying. So I finished the weekend by watching the first 3 “innocence Files” on Netflix. I implore you to do the same if you are sure there is only one expert view.

10. It demonstrated that when ‘experts’ are not questioned, the surrounding infrastructure falls in behind them and harms happen. Real harms that continue to happen for decades. I defy anyone to watch it and not cry. Cry at the harm caused to real human beings, families, lives.

11. I trained as a doctor because I like people. I care about the NHS and healthcare being delivered to everyone equally, to do no harm and I will act in the best interests of my patients always.