Alban
Barros D’Sa
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| Contents |
| 1.
Biography. Source: Debrett's People of Today, July 2003 |
| 2.
Key Press Reports: |
a.
Hospital Doctor. Date: 17 April 2003. Is there no
way back from a suspension?
b.
Coventry Evening Telegraph. 25 October 2002. 'Let
my legacy be keyhole surgery' |
| 3.
Other references. |
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| Biography
from Debrett's People of Today, July 2003 |
First
Names: Alban Avelino John
Parentage:
s of Inacio Francisco Purificacao Saude D'Sa (d 1978),
of London, and Maria Eslinda Inez, nee Barros (d 1998)
Date of Birth:
25 October 1937
Education:
Teacher Training Coll Nairobi Kenya,
West Ham Coll London,
Univ of Bristol (MB ChB, LRCP, MRCS, FRCSEdin, FRCS
Eng)
Marriage/Children:
22 July 1972, Gwenda Anne, da of Richard Arthur Davies
(d 2002), of Coventry; 1 da (Sonia Helen b 4 Sept
1974), 1 s (Ian James b 30 April 1976)
Career: house
surgn and physician Bristol Royal Infirmary 1967-68,
memb staff Faculty of Anatomy Univ of Bristol 1968-69,
sr house offr in surgery (renal transplantion, orthopaedic,
general, traumatic and cardio-thoracic surgery) Bristol
Royal Infirmary, Southmead and Frenchay Hosps 1969-71,
registrar in surgery and urology Musgrove Park Hosp
Taunton 1971-74, Pfizer res fell (also tutor in surgery
and hon sr registrar) Royal Postgrad Med Sch and Hammersmith
Hosp 1974-75, sr registrar in gen and vascular surgery
Univ Hosp of Wales Cardiff and Singleton Hosp Swansea,
conslt surgn Univ Hosps, Coventry and Warwickshire
NHS Tst 1979-2002, clinical teacher Dept of Surgery
Leicester Warwick Med Sch 2001-02, clinical dir of
surgery St Cross Hosp Rugby 1990-93, surgical tutor
RCS England 1987-93; examiner (FRCS) in gen surgery
for RCS Edinburgh 1990-, tutor in laparoscopic surgery
for RCS England 1995-, convenor of laparoscopic surgery
courses for Minimally Access Therapy Trg Unit RCS
England 1996-, external conslt assessor to Health
Serv Ombudsman 1999-, examiner in surgery Univ of
Leicester 2002-, examiner in surgery Univ of Warwick
2002-; visiting
lectr in laparoscopic surgery Goa Med Sch Univ of
Goa 1995,, invited guest lectr on complications
of laparoscopic surgery XXth Annual Conf Delhi State
Chapter Assoc of Surgns of India 2002; memb Ct Univ
of Bristol 1969-97; sr memb: Br Soc of Gastroenterology,
Midland Gastroenterology Assoc, Midland Surgical Soc,
Rugby and Dist Med Soc; fndr memb Assoc of Endoscopic
Surgns of GB and Ireland, sr fell Assoc of Surgns
GB and Ireland; memb: Warwicks Medico-legal Soc, BMA;
FRCS (ad eundem) 1997
Books: Rhoads
Textbook of Surgery (contrib chapter 5 edn, 1977);
author of numerous pubns in med jls on oesophageal,
gastric, pancreatic, vascular and thyroid surgery
Recreation:
travel, golf
Usual name:
Alban Barros D'Sa, Esq
Address:
40 Nightingale Lane, Westwood Gardens, Coventry CV5
6AY (Tel: and fax 024 7667 5181, e-mail albangwenda@coventrybarrosdsa.freeserve.co.uk);
5 Davenport Road, Coventry CV5 6QA; Central Surgery,
Corporation Street, Rugby (Tel: 024 7667 7838, 024
7667 2997, fax 024 7671 3822, mobile 079 9058 7505).
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Is
there no way back from a suspension? |
| Excerpt:
|
Successful
case |
As they wait for justice, perhaps both doctors will gain
encouragement from the success of Mr Alban Barros D'Sa,
a gastroenterological and laparoscopic surgeon who won a
high-profile court battle with his chief executive at Walsgrave
Hospital in Coventry. Mr Barros D'Sa found his career was
severely threatened after he blew the whistle on high surgical
mortality rates among a colleague's patients.
He
was suspended in September 1999, but a disciplinary panel
ruled seven months later that his dismissal would be wholly
unjustified. However, the trust refused to reinstate the
surgeon, this time stating that he had shown a lack of confidence
in the chief executive.
The
lengthy case was aired in the House of Commons and the High
Court, and Mr Barros D'Sa was supported by an 8,000-strong
petition and a vote of confidence from 99 consultants. The
affair culminated in a highly publicised Appeal Court hearing
in June 2001, in which judges upheld the recommendation
for reinstatement and severely criticised the trust's management.
Mr
Barros D'Sa received a hero's welcome when he returned to
his job in July 2001. The chief executive stood down in
March 2002 after a long campaign to oust him over the debacle.
Throughout
his suspension, Mr Barros D'Sa's great fear was that his
case would be timed out by his rapidly approaching retirement
date.
He
says: 'I was due to retire in October 2002. All along I
was worried that the case would be strung out and I would
retire while still suspended. Fortunately, I was back in
my job for 18 months before the date came up.'
Mr
Barros D'Sa's case ended happily, largely because his clinical
colleagues were on his side and voiced their support - and
because he had the energy to fight a hard campaign. But
most doctors who are cleared of allegations prefer to find
a job elsewhere.
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| Source:
25 October 2002 Coventry
Evening Telegraph |
'Let
my legacy be keyhole surgery'. |
By
KAREN HAMBRIDGE Health Reporter. |
'Let my legacy be keyhole surgery'.
CONTROVERSY
FORGOTTEN AS PIONEER LEAVES WALSGRAVE
TRIBUTE
has been paid to a Coventry surgeon who is retiring from
the NHS after more than two decades of caring for the
people of Coventry and Warwickshire.
Alban
Barros D'Sa, a one-time controversial figure at Walsgrave
Hospital, was praised for his intellectual ability and
his overriding commitment to patients and the community
by hospital chairman Bryan Stoten.
Mr
Stoten's warm wishes and recognition of a distinguished
career came at Mr Barros D'Sa's retirement party, which
was also attended by hospital chief executive David Roberts,
as well as close colleagues and friends.
It
was a poignant symbol of how times have changed at Walsgrave
and the trust which runs it, University Hospitals Coventry
and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Just
last year, Mr Barros D'Sa was in the middle of a messy
and very public dispute with the trust, fighting a lengthy
suspension imposed after he was said to have oppressed
a more junior doctor.
The
65-year-old general surgeon won two High Court cases against
the hospital trust and was finally allowed back to work
20 months after he was first sent home.
Mr
Barros D'Sa, who has spent 24 years in the NHS, after
first training as a teacher, said he did not wish to dwell
on the past but added: "I think the most important
thing is that we have a new trust and we have managers
that are doing their utmost to change the whole culture
of the hospital."
He
told party guests that coming to work in Coventry and
Warwickshire was one of the most pleasant experiences
of his life.
And
he thanked Mr Stoten for arranging his retirement party
and inviting his wife Gwenda, making his departure another
"very pleasant experience."
Mr
Barros D'Sa was presented with gifts including an engraved
silver plate and a digital camera.
He
said he hoped his legacy would be that he pushed forward
surgery in the area.
During
the early days of keyhole surgery, he pioneered the technique
in Coventry and Warwickshire. And in two weeks time, he
will travel to India to speak to the All India Association
of Surgeons on the practice.
"If
I have contributed in that way, then I am happy about
that," he said.
Mr
Barros D'Sa will continue in private practice as well
as maintaining his role as an examiner for the Royal College
of Surgeons in Edinburgh.
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| OTHER
REFERENCES: |
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| 27
Mar. 2001. House of Commons Adjourment Debate. Excerpts |
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry, North-West): The problems
of today started back in September 1999 with a whistleblowing
incident.
In 1999, three surgeons at Coventry blew the whistle on
surgeons in the colorectal department because of the peri-operative
mortality rate. One of the whistleblowers was Mr. Alban
Barros D'Sa, who remains suspended. The immediate reaction
to the whistleblowing was to suspend one of the whistleblowers…
It is important to stress that Mr. D'Sa's professional competence
has not been questioned. No one claims that he is anything
other than a good surgeon. When we are so desperately short
of cancer surgeons and others--colorectal work is associated
with cancer problems--how can a surgeon of acknowledged
competence and with an undisputed professional reputation
be left idle for 18 months?...
I hate to say it, but the management was humiliatingly defeated
at the injunction hearing…
For full text click
here. Column 937 to 944. |
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16
May 2001. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
Surgeons in revolt on discipline. Surgeons at Coventry's
Walsgrave Hospital have passed a no-confidence vote in the
hospital trust's disciplinary procedures. The vote, by 99
to 47, comes against a background of two surgeons being
suspended on full pay for more than a year - Alban Barros
D'Sa and Briony Ackroyd. For full text click
here. |
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19
May 2001. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
Public meeting to support surgeon. Dozens of posters
have been circulated in the city advertising the event,
which has attracted interest from national news media.
They read “Scandal at Walsgrave Hospital - justice
for Mr Barros D’Sa, Consultant Surgeon”.
For full text click
here |
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12 June 2001. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
Surgeon fight steps up. The Alban Barros D'Sa support committee
is collecting signatures for a petition which states: "This
is a case of gross injustice, an enormous waste of public
money and denies the people of Coventry, Rugby and the surrounding
area of the skills of a dedicated surgeon." For full
text click
here. |
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15
June 2001.
Coventry Evening Telegraph.
Support shown for suspended surgeon. More than 300 protesters
turned out for a public meeting calling for a suspended
surgeon to be reinstated at Coventry’s Walsgrave Hospital.
They gave unanimous support for the case of Dr Alban Barros
D’Sa who has been off work for 20 months. Coventry
Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson spoke of his disgust at the
suspension as he chaired the public meeting at Allesley
Hotel last night. For full text click
here. |
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19 June 2001.
Coventry Evening Telegraph.
Court blow for hospital. Walsgrave Hospital bosses have
lost a battle in London's High Court over the controversial
suspension of a surgeon - but say they are determined to
press ahead with a dismissal hearing. Three Appeal Court
judges yesterday ruled against the Coventry hospital and
in favour of Mr Alban Barros D'sa, who has been suspended
for 20 months. For full text click
here. |
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2 July 2001.
Coventry Evening Telegraph.
How trouble all began. Mr Barros D'Sa was suspended in October
1999, shortly after he raised concerns about the high mortality
rate in Walsgrave Hospital's bowel surgery department. For
full text click
here. |
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7 July 2001. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
Surgeon wins job back.
Suspended Coventry
surgeon Alban Barros D'Sa has been dramatically reinstated
following a disciplinary hearing at Walsgrave Hospital…
John Ross, chairman of the Alban Barros D'Sa Campaign
Committee, said he was "delighted" but added:
"The reinstatement does not remove the injustice
that this talented and caring surgeon, his family and
the patients denied his expertise have suffered for some
20 months. However, he is now returning to Walsgrave to
help the people of Coventry and Warwickshire, which is
wonderful news. We wish him success and my committee would
like to thank the general public who gave their whole-hearted
support, which made all the difference."
Campaigner Geoffrey Robinson, the MP for Coventry Northwest,
said: "That's wonderful news, that's very good news.”
For full text click
here.
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9
July 2001. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
First day back at work for surgeon. Dr Jean Archer-Hall,
a retired Coventry doctor from Earlsdon, was a member of
the committee which fought to reinstate the popular surgeon.
She said: "He has been very dignified all the time
- I don't know how he survived. It was so unfair and I was
very cross - I'm one of those oldfashioned people who believes
in English fair play.” For full text click
here. |
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24
July 2001
The University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
has only just resolved a long-running case in which a surgeon
who had warned that operations by a colleague had worryingly
high mortality rates was suspended for 20 months. Alban
Barros D'Sa returned to work on Tuesday after a lengthy
battle with management which twice reached the High Court.
A petition supporting Mr Barros d'Sa received 8000 signatures
and the surgeon was also backed by Geoffrey Robinson, MP
for Coventry North.
But senior medical staff at the hospital say that Mr Barros
D'Sa's case is merely the tip of the iceberg. |
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28 Nov. 2001. House of Commons Adjourment Debate. Excerpts:
Mr. Geoffrey Robinson (Coventry, North–West): We saw
that in the case where Mr. Loughton attempted to abuse correspondence
between my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr.
Cunningham) and one of his constituents, a distinguished
consultant surgeon at the hospital. Mr. Loughton tried to
use a letter as a reason for suspending, confirming the
suspension of, and obtaining the dismissal of that fine,
distinguished surgeon. Mr. Loughton would not listen to
reason. He went to the high court, then to a higher court
still. Each time his arguments were demolished, and each
time he had to run away in shame, all at a cost to the long-suffering
taxpayers of Coventry of £250,000…
Andy King (Rugby and Kenilworth): My hon. Friend the Member
for Coventry, North–West (Mr. Robinson) said that,
if the worst comes to the worst, we shall hold a public
meeting on the issue. I can tell hon. Members and the Minister
that there is no building in Rugby big enough to hold the
people who would turn out to have Mr. David Loughton removed…
For full text click
here |
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16
Oct. 2002. Coventry
Evening Telegraph.
Suspended surgeon retires.
Some 8,000 people signed a petition calling for Mr Barros
D’Sa to be reinstated during the lengthy campaign.
For full text click
here |
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