Fake letter pokes fun at Sandwell Hospital chief's strike plea to junior doctors
Hospital bosses in Sandwell have been lampooned in a spoof letter that is doing the rounds on social media.
The note is a parody of a letter sent to junior doctors at Sandwell General Hospital urging them not to strike by medical director Dr Roger Stedman.
Striking doctors were last week told to leave the picket line and return to work after hospital bosses declared a 'level four' major incident.
Most refused to go back to work despite the plea from their NHS hierarchy.
The satirical letter makes fun of Dr Stedman's suggestion the hospital faced a 'level four' crisis.
It states: "I would like to make it clear that there was a typing error in my last letter to you.
"There was no 'level four incident' but rather there was an incident on level four."
Some doctors accused the hospital of pre-planning the incident after the letter from Dr Stedman was sent to them on Tuesday morning – but dated Monday.
The actual letter from Dr Stedman urged 'all junior doctors providing ward-based care... to attend work'.
It said: "We will be running Sandwell General Hospital site as a trust internal incident with all medical teams working to increase the numbers of discharges.
"I have reviewed the situation this afternoon and I believe that given the situation and staffing levels, it would be unsafe to deliver care to all our in-patients with a reduced workforce."
The spoof pokes fun at the date issue, saying: "This letter, just like my previous one, has been written on the day before industrial action.
"This is because as well as being an anaesthetist and medical director, I am also a part-time psychic."
The hospital said its original decision to call staff back was taken late last Monday on the advice of senior medical staff, subject to a morning walk round on Tuesday.
Toby Lewis, chief executive at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust, last week thanked the doctors who crossed the picket line to assist.
He said: "The decision to ask for extra help was taken with local BMA representatives' support."
Bosses at Sandwell Council were unavailable to comment.
