04/12/2008

Heated Debate At BMJ Over Baby P 'Blame'

What has been described as 'professional victimisation' may be distracting from learning lessons of the 'Baby P' tragedy.

A heated debate on the matter is taking place on the British Medical Journal's website, www.bmj.com following a contribution that urges "support to professionals" when they make errors will help them "learn and improve".

This is said to be the key to making children safer, according to a consultant paediatrician in a 'blog' on the website.

Heather Payne has been discussing the "media orgy of blaming professionals" surrounding the Baby P case.

She argues that focusing on the errors of the professionals involved in the case distracts from making practical progress: "We should focus on what could have been done differently," she said, noting that "each professional group should identify how they might have modified their practice to fill the gaps", instead.

According to Ms Payne, recent reviews of serious cases such as Baby P have repeatedly called for more observance of procedure and better interagency training and communication without any practical progress or moving forward.

"It is essential," she said, "that professionals are accountable for their work, but there needs to be 'a supportive response to possible errors' or their will be no mechanism to be able to learn and improve.

"This is hard edged, evidence-based risk management, but it will make children safer," she concluded.

Payne's blog continues to spark heated debate on bmj.com.

Click here to view the blog and reactions to it: blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2008/11/27/heather-payne-baby-p-and-now-the-completely-nameless/

(BMcC)

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