guppy_sandhu (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
guppy_sandhu) wrote2009-10-16 09:10 pm
guppy_sandhu) wrote2009-10-16 09:10 pm
(no subject)
Things aren't going well on Dickens Ward* this morning. One nurse packing up her locker, another in tears; Guppy comes into the staff room after the ward round to find their close little community in chaos.
"I don't see what grounds they can be dismissing you on." he says, giving Pam a big hug.
"They're not, I can't take Dr Sharpe, he's going to sack me and I can't take that chance."
"Dr Sharpe is stark raving bonkers." Cassie the ward sister says angrily. "He's made it clear that Pam's next in the firing line, but we need her, and we need Dr Wood back."
"If we can get Dr Wood back, I'm sure he'll sort this out." Guppy says. "I'm not convinced what Sharpe is doing is in his job description, and even less that it's legal. Dr Wood might not have the power, but he knows the law and politics and knowledge is power too."
"Dr Sandhu! Where are you?" The dulcet tones of Dr Sharpe echo through the corridor into the staff room. Guppy steps out into the corridor, to save the others from Dr Sharpe's wrath.
"Good morning."
"Don't you good morning me, get in my office now!"
Guppy shoots a mildly panicked look at the others peeping out of the staff room, and follows Dr Sharpe to his office. The doctor slams a newspaper down in front of him.
Heroic doctor sacked for not removing watch
A doctor at St James' Hospital Holby has been sacked for not taking off his watch when responding to an emergency.
Loyal consultant Dr Matthew Wood, who has worked in the department for more than twenty years, came into work last Monday and came across a collapsed patient the moment he stepped through the door. He immediately began life saving treatment, saving the man from dying of a heart attack.
However his joy was short lived; two minutes after finishing the treatment, he was approached by a senior member of staff and dismissed for non-compliance with the hospital's 'Bare below the elbows' policy. Apparently this was his second warning, the first of which occurred by accident.
A facebook group protest drew over 28000 votes of protest at the loyal doctor's dismissal.
St James' hospital has yet to issue a formal statement, but a spokesperson today assured the Holby Evening Post that the decision would be reconsidered at appeal.
"Oh, that's good." Guppy says, before he can stop himself.
"No it is not good! It is an embarrassment to this department. Did you start that facebook group?"
"No, I don't really know how to use Facebook." Guppy says, before thinking this through. However, the second he says it, he remembers Frogspawn snatching the poster out of his hand.
He freezes up. If he takes the blame, he's probably going to get the sack. If he doesn't take the blame, Frogspawn might get the sack. Dr Sharpe loads up his computer and searches for the offending community.
"'Maintainer: Frogspawn Sandhu'." He looks at Guppy. "Who's that?"
Guppy fights for words. He can't say he doesn't know, the same surname is far too much of a coincidence. He can feel himself on the verge of having a panic attack.
"Freedom of speech." he says, breathlessly. "There is nothing slanderous or libellous on that page. All it says is facts and asks for support, and it wasn't done at work. It's not a disciplinary offence."
He doesn't hear Sharpe's angry rant in reply, he's concentrating on breathing and holding in the panic. But he does out of the corner of his eye see someone appear at the door, and that person walks straight in and puts a gentle hand on Guppy's shoulder.
"Dr Sharpe! I will not have you speaking to members of my staff in this manner." Dr Wood says with calm authority.
"Dr Wood. You're back." Dr Sharpe says, the wind taken out of his sails somewhat.
"All disciplinary action has been dropped." Dr Wood says. "Apparently the board was not informed that it was a matter of life and death that prevented me removing my watch. However I am somewhat disturbed to find my department in chaos. Do you usually verbally assault junior members of staff for your own ends?"
Guppy watches, not daring to assume yet who will win.
"Well Matthew, I'm glad you've been cleared." Dr Sharpe says, somewhat awkwardly. "Nevertheless, I don't think that we should be allowing this Facebook thing to slide..."
"If I were you, Dr Sharpe, I should make a quick and dignified exit before someone makes a complaint about you. It will take less than one minute to pacify every one of those protesters on Facebook, it will be an online PR dream. Young people all over the country will be doing geek fives and... rotfling I believe is the expression."
Dr Sharpe, backing down, gets up to leave. Dr Wood holds out one hand.
"Oh, and you will apologise to Dr Sandhu, and Pam."
Dr Sharpe mumbles an apology and leaves. Dr Wood closes the door, then sits down next to Guppy, one hand reaching over to check his pulse at the wrist.
"Thank you." Dr Wood says quietly. "You and Frances put yourselves at quite significant risk to get me reinstated. I won't forget it." He checks against his watch. "Your pulse is about a hundred and forty, chill out here for a few minutes and I'll grab you a cup of tea."
"What if Fran gets sacked?"
"She won't. But I think Dr Sharpe may remain a thorn in our sides, so make sure neither of you give him any excuse."
(*Formerly known as Crombie ward, but renamed after repeated sign vandalism - sadly the mysterious culprit has since returned to carefully tippex out all the 'ens's).
"I don't see what grounds they can be dismissing you on." he says, giving Pam a big hug.
"They're not, I can't take Dr Sharpe, he's going to sack me and I can't take that chance."
"Dr Sharpe is stark raving bonkers." Cassie the ward sister says angrily. "He's made it clear that Pam's next in the firing line, but we need her, and we need Dr Wood back."
"If we can get Dr Wood back, I'm sure he'll sort this out." Guppy says. "I'm not convinced what Sharpe is doing is in his job description, and even less that it's legal. Dr Wood might not have the power, but he knows the law and politics and knowledge is power too."
"Dr Sandhu! Where are you?" The dulcet tones of Dr Sharpe echo through the corridor into the staff room. Guppy steps out into the corridor, to save the others from Dr Sharpe's wrath.
"Good morning."
"Don't you good morning me, get in my office now!"
Guppy shoots a mildly panicked look at the others peeping out of the staff room, and follows Dr Sharpe to his office. The doctor slams a newspaper down in front of him.
Heroic doctor sacked for not removing watch
A doctor at St James' Hospital Holby has been sacked for not taking off his watch when responding to an emergency.
Loyal consultant Dr Matthew Wood, who has worked in the department for more than twenty years, came into work last Monday and came across a collapsed patient the moment he stepped through the door. He immediately began life saving treatment, saving the man from dying of a heart attack.
However his joy was short lived; two minutes after finishing the treatment, he was approached by a senior member of staff and dismissed for non-compliance with the hospital's 'Bare below the elbows' policy. Apparently this was his second warning, the first of which occurred by accident.
A facebook group protest drew over 28000 votes of protest at the loyal doctor's dismissal.
St James' hospital has yet to issue a formal statement, but a spokesperson today assured the Holby Evening Post that the decision would be reconsidered at appeal.
"Oh, that's good." Guppy says, before he can stop himself.
"No it is not good! It is an embarrassment to this department. Did you start that facebook group?"
"No, I don't really know how to use Facebook." Guppy says, before thinking this through. However, the second he says it, he remembers Frogspawn snatching the poster out of his hand.
He freezes up. If he takes the blame, he's probably going to get the sack. If he doesn't take the blame, Frogspawn might get the sack. Dr Sharpe loads up his computer and searches for the offending community.
"'Maintainer: Frogspawn Sandhu'." He looks at Guppy. "Who's that?"
Guppy fights for words. He can't say he doesn't know, the same surname is far too much of a coincidence. He can feel himself on the verge of having a panic attack.
"Freedom of speech." he says, breathlessly. "There is nothing slanderous or libellous on that page. All it says is facts and asks for support, and it wasn't done at work. It's not a disciplinary offence."
He doesn't hear Sharpe's angry rant in reply, he's concentrating on breathing and holding in the panic. But he does out of the corner of his eye see someone appear at the door, and that person walks straight in and puts a gentle hand on Guppy's shoulder.
"Dr Sharpe! I will not have you speaking to members of my staff in this manner." Dr Wood says with calm authority.
"Dr Wood. You're back." Dr Sharpe says, the wind taken out of his sails somewhat.
"All disciplinary action has been dropped." Dr Wood says. "Apparently the board was not informed that it was a matter of life and death that prevented me removing my watch. However I am somewhat disturbed to find my department in chaos. Do you usually verbally assault junior members of staff for your own ends?"
Guppy watches, not daring to assume yet who will win.
"Well Matthew, I'm glad you've been cleared." Dr Sharpe says, somewhat awkwardly. "Nevertheless, I don't think that we should be allowing this Facebook thing to slide..."
"If I were you, Dr Sharpe, I should make a quick and dignified exit before someone makes a complaint about you. It will take less than one minute to pacify every one of those protesters on Facebook, it will be an online PR dream. Young people all over the country will be doing geek fives and... rotfling I believe is the expression."
Dr Sharpe, backing down, gets up to leave. Dr Wood holds out one hand.
"Oh, and you will apologise to Dr Sandhu, and Pam."
Dr Sharpe mumbles an apology and leaves. Dr Wood closes the door, then sits down next to Guppy, one hand reaching over to check his pulse at the wrist.
"Thank you." Dr Wood says quietly. "You and Frances put yourselves at quite significant risk to get me reinstated. I won't forget it." He checks against his watch. "Your pulse is about a hundred and forty, chill out here for a few minutes and I'll grab you a cup of tea."
"What if Fran gets sacked?"
"She won't. But I think Dr Sharpe may remain a thorn in our sides, so make sure neither of you give him any excuse."
(*Formerly known as Crombie ward, but renamed after repeated sign vandalism - sadly the mysterious culprit has since returned to carefully tippex out all the 'ens's).