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Leaked Letter Written By Dr. Richard Ishmael Which Got Him Suspended From The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Prominent Cardiologist Dr. Richard Ishmael has been suspended from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital QEH with full pay pending an internal investigation. At the root of the problem is a letter written by Dr. Richard Ishmael which is addressed to Dr. Delores Lewis, Director of Medical Services at the QEH on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s letterhead.…

, , ,
L – r) Director of the Sparman Clinic, Cardiologist, Dr. Alfred Sparman; Minister of Health, Donville Inniss, his wife, Gail Inniss and the Minister’s Personal Assistant, Cindy Downes at the start of the official opening of the $20 million facility for cardiac care located at No. 4, 6th Avenue Belleville St. Michael

Prominent Cardiologist Dr. Richard Ishmael has been suspended from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital QEH with full pay pending an internal investigation. At the root of the problem is a letter written by Dr. Richard Ishmael which is addressed to Dr. Delores Lewis, Director of Medical Services at the QEH on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s letterhead.

In the interest of the public’s right to know BU now post the document. Feel free to use BU’s  Confidential Feedback Form which can be used to send information to BU without using an email address.

Letter Written By Dr. Richard Ishmael:

Pages: 1,2,3

Tenessess Board of Medical Examiners Minutes

Pages: 1,2,3

Department of Health Florida Board of Medicine Minutes

Pages: 1,2,3

Dr. Alfred Sparman Documents

Pages: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

334 responses to “Leaked Letter Written By Dr. Richard Ishmael Which Got Him Suspended From The Queen Elizabeth Hospital”

  1. Fran Avatar
    Fran

    I have been to Sparman’s clinic and can concur that the certificates are on the wall with names of authentic universities and can say that the treatment was excellent though expensive.
    My concern however is the foolishness of suspending Dr Ishmael and now having to call him back because of these ill children. How absolutely stupid! The whole board needs to be dismissed.
    With regards to the Minister, if someone lacks the moral fortitude and would setup and head a pornographic site, what can you expect from him but corruption in any form.

    @ GP I am absolutely loving your contributions, your ‘turn of phrase’ is superb.LOL

  2. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    “With regards to the Minister, if someone lacks the moral fortitude and would setup and head a pornographic site, what can you expect from him but corruption in any form.”

    Wait, what is this I heh reading nuh? Is we being tole that the Minster of Health, set up n heading a porno site? Who vote fuh he bo? Lord ave mercy. Dah kant be true. wuhloss, wuhloss, wuhloss.

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Pat

    Nude News and Donville Inniss is old news which cropped during the last general election. Inniss has made his millions managing a portfolio of offshore companies. It appears one of the companies was about women reporting news in the nude. He issued a statement on it and moved on. Don’t quit recall the finer details.

  4. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Charlie | December 30, 2010 at 9:42 AM |
    “I visited Dr.Sparman’s clinic and as usual I always look at the certificates on the wall. There are certificates there for his training in cardiology from reputable universities.”

    Quoting FranFran | December 30, 2010 at 2:05 PM | “I have been to Sparman’s clinic and can concur that the certificates are on the wall with names of authentic universities”

    Dear Charlie and Fran, what are authentic, reputable universities?

    And where do I go to discover if my doctor’s certificates are authentic or not?

  5. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Random Thoughts | December 29, 2010 at 6:46 PM |
    I know about about Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter et. al.
    THAT MEANS YOU KNOW MORE BIBLE THAN THE PRIEST I HEAR. LOL

    chattel | December 29, 2010 at 9:13 PM | asked Anyhow, how does the telesex thing work, I’m kinda curious…
    ANSWER: JUST LIKE TELEMEDICINE………not too good LOL! You does have to revert to the real thing. You does have to go back to the sexton or the sexpert! LOL
    David | December 30, 2010 at 11:57 AM |

    Re The one question which was not put to the minister who acknowledged reading many untruths on the blogs is ‘did you Minister call the Director of Medical Services regarding a patient and possible transfer to the Sparman Clinic. If the answer is yes what would have motivated your action.
    I agree with you that these questions should have been asked…………………..but for that you would have needed some NON serious person from one of the blogs, who would have been smart enough to honing on the relevant issues.

    Another question would be WHICH OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THE BLOGS WERE UNTRUTHS?

    E.G WAS THE TELEMEDICINE SUCESSFUL? LOL OR DO YOU REALLY NEED THE TRAINED EYES HANDS AND BRAINS OF TRAINED EXPERIENCED DOCTORS ON SITE!

    sharky | December 29, 2010 at 9:58 PM |
    Forgive me if i sound harsh, but this touch me hard. My mother had a bleed on her brain and she spent almost two weeks in a stat room at the hospital, there was no place for a critically ill woman to receive treatment.

    SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR LOSS. But if your mother had a ruptured aneurysm around the Circle of Willis, she would have needed a neurosurgeon & GOD!

    Fran
    Thanks FOR YOUR kind remarks.
    Re I have been to Sparman’s clinic and can concur that the certificates are on the wall with names of authentic universities

    A word of caution about certificates on the wall. How do you know that the certificates are the names of authentic universities and not from one of the many diploma mills in the USA?
    In any case the relevant qualifications you ought to be looking for for cardiologists WILL NOT COME FROM ANY UNIVERSITY. YOU DON’T GET BOARD CERTIFIED FROM ANY UNIVERSITY.
    Note Ishmael is Board certified in both Cardiology & Paediatrics in both Canada & the USA. I.E FAAP, FACC, FRCPC, FCCP

    Charlie | December 30, 2010 at 9:42 AM |
    Re I visited Dr.Sparman’s clinic and as usual I always look at the certificates on the wall. There are certificates there for his training in cardiology from reputable universities.

    Please see the above, Sir.Perhaps you can edify us by telling us the reputable universities that one go to for training in cardiology.

    RE There is also a certificate from the Heart Foundation of Barbados thanking him for the great role he has played in heart care in Barbados.
    COULD YOU TELL US WHAT WOULD BE THE VALUE OF THAT CERTIFICATE SIR?

  6. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Workout | December 27, 2010 at 7:48 PM |
    You mean to tell me that the entire QEH board igrunt? The chairman, deputy and all the rest? Not one member who could have told the chairman that he was doing shite and explained the potential ramifications of his foolishness and try to make him change his mind?
    My God, we in more trouble than I thought.

    YOU GOT IT RIGHT MY FRIEND
    THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU ALL ALONG

    Guy DePeiza | December 27, 2010 at 8:02 PM |
    THE DMS!!
    Dr DELORES LEWIS.
    This lady does not have the credentials to be a consultant at the QEH. In this position she is ineligible to hold the the post as Head of the Pathology, and by extension she should not be the DMS. She never applied in the conventional sense to Medical School, she was sent there by the then Dean at UWI Cave Hill. Imagine the shock when the then Dean of Admissions at UWI Mona was visited by this SENT woman. She was admitted simply because someone did not turn up or was not told of their acceptance. SHE WAS AS POOR A STUDENT AS SHE WAS A CANDIDATE. RUMOR HAS THAT THE “INTELLECTUAL HURDLE WAS SCALED BY LEGS BUT DEFINITELY NOT BRAINS. Long and short she exited UWI as she got in by SKULLDUGGERY. This was very evident as she muddled her way through the internship. THE DR WOMAN WAS DUMB(hence need for legs) a complete GINAL.
    No wonder she does the bidding of the Board.
    The Subversion of proper functioning at QEH started a long time ago. D perpetrators sorry to say were usually very political.
    You cannot start with Stool and end with Steak. Please do not expect Steak from this BOARD with an intellectually challenged DMS, a C(ROOK) E O., a Delusional(He thinks himself to be a player> WHY!!!!) jackass masquerading as a priest. Beware!! Even the Good Lord said that the DEVIL might present himself as a Lamb(in this case a priest). Ask the ARCHBISHOP what it was that Guy Hewitt did that demanded his reprimand??? NO NEED TO COMMENT ON THE MINISTER HIS FAILINGS ARE SELF EVIDENT.
    ==========================================
    Guy DePeiza there is a definite need for you to give us more information on these two persons. Because there are folk out there who can advance the health of the health services of Barbados, and just cant get a chance!

  7. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ THanks Dr. GP.

    You beat me to Fran and Charlie. I wonder where sparman did his residency and if he wrote and passed board exams? The nearest heart he could get to up here without passing those exams would be a cow’s heart.

    One UWI trained Guyanese Dr. ( a GP), wrote her exams twice and failed, then had to go back to school to brush up on modern procedures, new drugs, etc. This after she had practiced for 15 years in B.G. I met her at the bus stop (she lived near my parents) and we naturally started talking and she explained her problems to me. Her brother who sponsored her was very supportive and encouraged her to continue, when she was ready to give up. She eventually overcame her obstacles and moved to Toronto, to set up a private practice in the large South Asian community there.

  8. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    @at | December 31, 2010 at 5:29 PM |
    @ THanks Dr. GP.

    You beat me to Fran and Charlie. I wonder where sparman did his residency and if he wrote and passed board exams? The nearest heart he could get to up here without passing those exams would be a cow’s heart.

    doctors cannot just send a paper to the Ministry of Health in b’dos saying they are qualified to practice medicine. As long as you are applying from overseas to practice medicine here ALL have to do another exam where the results are submitted to the Ministry of Health before they can practice medicine here. i should know, i work in gov for over 25 years

  9. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    @Question | December 27, 2010 at 7:47 PM |

    in spite of what events took place does not change the fact that many bajans admit that he is a very good ‘heart doctor’. ask his patients. yes he seems hell bent of succeeding here and i’m sure he will but who wouldn’t when any clown can look around here and see that u only have to pass money to some politician and everything goes ur way

  10. smooth chocolate Avatar
    smooth chocolate

    @Pat | December 27, 2010 at 7:07 PM |
    @ Smooth Chocolate

    “…For your information, I also worked for the Barbados government and have used the department’s letter head for complaints, of which I had many.”

    again, u are talking crap but i will rest here. u previously stated u worked 30 years in the canadian govt. it would mean u worked in the b’dos govt more than 30 years ago. it would also mean that when u erroneously wrote on the depts letterhead u were not penalized as should have been done. u should have written on a minute sheet or a plain sheet of paper. the minute sheet would have in a file making it official, the plain sheet of paper would have been stamped and dated, making it official also. as i stated before, people still do that and are not penalize, why should have dr ishmael been? WHY DON’T U MAKE A SIMPLE CALL TO THE MINISTRY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE and stop making others believe u know what u are talking about – a dept’s letterhead is essentially saying that u are speaking on behalf of the boss, simple. a plain sheet of paper becomes official document as long as it has the date stamp bearing the depts name; meaning it carries just as much importance as a letterhead. I KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. write what u want after this, i will not respond but please do me a favour, CALL CIVIL SERVICE, PAD, PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM anyone of them should enlighten u

  11. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    re As long as you are applying from overseas to practice medicine here ALL have to do another exam where the results are submitted to the Ministry of Health before they can practice medicine here. i should know, i work in gov for over 25 years

    LOL THIS IS SIMPLY JUST NOT TRUE

    YOU WORK IN GOVERNMENT FOR 25 YEARS DOING WHAT? BAGGING GARBAGE?
    Tell us about this exam – who sets and marks it?
    Is thier a special exam for each specialty or one exam for everyone?
    How is the exam composed? Is it written ? Is there a clinical component ? Is there a viva voce? You obviously do not know what you are talking about. You are a big liar with an agenda.

  12. Jenny M Avatar
    Jenny M

    This letter head thing is bare nonsense. If you working at the place and you have a complaint what is so wrong with using the lettr head of the work place! In any case any sensitive HR person knows that you don’t just take action because you can. You use your common sense!! Given the context of the charges Dr. Ishmael made it is a serious conflict of interest for the same people he accuses of serious infelicities to be using their power and their reach to put him in his place in this frivolous manner. The PM should intervene and prove that he is as decent and just as he appears to be.

    This whole episode speaks volumes! This government has become high handed and the PM has it on auto-pilot. Freundel take charge or you will be condemned as the worst PM this country has ever seen!

  13. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    There seem to be nuts in “smooth chocolate”.

  14. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Dear Georgie Porgie:

    You wrote with reference to smooth chocolate “You are a big liar with an agenda.”

    Dear Georgie Porgie: This is one time that you are wrong, smooth chocolate is a dangerous idiot with an agenda.

    No wonder she has worked in government for over 25 years.

    I bet that smooth chocolate cannot hold a job anyplace else for even 25 weeks.

    Dear Georgie Porgie: In case you do not know there are a number of companies and institutions in Barbados that will not hire you if you have ever worked for the Barbados government, and this is especially so at tthe clerical level.

    Too many clerks in Barbados’ civil service leave what little sense they have at home each morning, they seem to believe that their job is to sy “No” to the citizen/tax payers/electorate.

    Too often they are ignorant of the law and the regulations which governs their jobs.

  15. Georgie Porgie Avatar
    Georgie Porgie

    Sir, That is sad , but true.I had an experience yesterday that seems to corroborate your opinion. Ask relatives to submit some forms and the officers took no interest, nor did they seem to know what is on thier website

  16. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Two things. Although in the overall scheme of things it is an irrelevance, I will deal with the letterhead isue. As a consultant employed by and for the QEH, on a matter pertaining to QEH procedures and patient care, Dr.Ishmael had a right to use the letterhead in addressing a letter, memo or note to whomever in the institution.

    As an aside, note that the QEH will be subject to foot legal bills on arguments re the content (written by an employee of the institution in an official capacity).

    Still, irrelevant to the overall issue i.e. there was no need nor cause to suspend. The suspension speaks volumes and sadly gives credence to the position that ‘JENNY M’ above has voiced i.e. she says ”This whole episode speaks volumes! This government has become high handed and the PM has it on auto-pilot. ”

    If I were Opposition I would be having a field day on this, they seem fairly quiet.

    A government cannot afford to appear high-handed, it took the previous government ten years to get there and we can only hope that this government has not got there so quickly.

    Note t the approach taken by one commenter yesterday i.e. ‘VERITY’ used the same modus operandi. Pomposetting about ‘raising the standard’ but then when asked for clarifications and discussion to answer queries, (obviously objective discussion does raise the standard) instead resorting to insult, irrelevant retort and even exhibiting disdain for most commentors (referring that they were ‘not worth responding to’).

    I sincerely hope that such commenter as ‘VERITY’ is not an active member of this administration, for Barbados cannot afford nor wants someone around who considers citizens and voters as ‘not worth responding to’.

    The question that remains is where do we go from here?

    It is clear that the current administration does not yet have a handle on the healthcare sysem and apparently prefers to engage in petty actions rather than address the overall roadmap and successful change to the existing issues of that system.

    Remember here to, that criticism on government policies does not have to be taken personally nor as an attack on the administration per se, but should be taken as advice on the way forward.

    That is where so many get bogged down, on the argument rather than the message.

  17. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ Smooth Chocolate

    Take a hint from Hants and call yourself Nut Bar, or we will do it for you as we did with ‘foolbert’ and ‘no balls’, etc.

  18. de hood Avatar
    de hood

    @ Pat

    And what about the one calling his/her self “Verity”? Maybe you could also rearrange their alias at the same time as SC. 🙂

  19. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ de hood

    Verity? Why, what about venomous viper?he, he, he ! That person is very diabolical. We tinks it is the minister imself, an somebody tink it be de sista dat got some contract for a cafeteria at sum guvment school. seems like nepotism to me, if um be de trute.

  20. simply anonymous Avatar
    simply anonymous

    @David | December 28, 2010 at 2:01 PM |
    Would like to read feedback on the several complaints by those with immigrant status in Barbados that they now have to pay for medication since the recent change. This is despite the fact they are paying NIS and PAYE.

    what does paying NIS AND PAYE have to do with getting medication free. the 3 are NOT connected. r u for real?. u CONTRIBUTE to NIS in case U become ill. u pay PAYE as ur contribution to the roads u use, the transport buses u use, etc, etc. has nothing to do with free medication. if the immigrant becomes ill, well he would pay for his meds out of his salary. where in the world is the immigrant have ALL the benefits of a citizen?

  21. David Avatar
    David

    @simply anonymous

    That should be permanent resident which is the current conversation.

  22. anon Avatar
    anon

    The permanent resident still does not have all the benefits of someone who was actually born in the country… is that not so? For example in the United States one may only run for presidency only if they are US citizens by birth. I don’t think and I may be wrong that permanent residency equals natural born citizens of the country, in this case Barbados.

  23. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Dear Simple (Anonymous):

    There is a simple moral principle that there shall be no taxation without representation.

    There was a revolution once about this same principle.

    Do you feel that it is morally right that an immigrant or permanent resident who is paying income tax, land tax, national insurance, and value added tax cannot access health care and medications which have been purchased with his/her taxes?

    And yet Simple. My brother who left Barbados at 18 in 1954 and has never paid a single cent of taxes in Barbados can return to Barbados today, sick and penniless and access hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of health care, just because he happened to be born here in the 1930’s?

    Is this RIGHT?

    Is this JUSTICE?

    Health care should have little to do with citizenship and ALL to do with whose taxes are paying for it.

    It is a fundamental principle that he who pay the piper calls the tune.

    He who pays the taxes should have unimpeded access to the (not free) but to the health care which is PAID FOR BY HIS TAXES.

    ’cause health care ain’t free. Health care is paid for by the taxes of Barbadians, immigrants and permanent residents, and Barbadians, immigrants and permanent residents should be able to equally access such care. After all we are taxed equally.

    Dear Simple:

    If you can THINK on these things.

  24. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    And my sister’s children, and yes even her grandchildren who are citizens of Barbados by descent and who have never stepped foot in Barbados nor paid a cent of taxes here can if they chose show up and access all the health care they want, because their grandmother was born her in 1920?

  25. simply anonymous Avatar
    simply anonymous

    well u can’t please everyone. the best thing to do then is to make EVERYONE pay as is done whether subsidize in other countries or not. i read somewhere that ‘bajans’ were ‘hoarding the medication. so all u hoarders are to blame, the govt has to find a way to keep cost down.. i am in favour or EVERY patient paying for their medication that way no, Random thoughts nieces and nephews who live overseas would have to pay too. as it is I could care less one way or the other, if I have to pay I would.

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  29. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    I am re-reading Dr. Ishmael’s letter of 17 November, 2010, which was copied to among others Donville Inniss, the then Minister of Health.

    I am also reading page 3 of today’s Nation which states:
    “The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York has however petitioned the court to bar Inniss, a former Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, from claiming that bribe-taking was a common thing in Barbados.

    My comment:

    Dr. Ishmael has “big-big” balls.

    We need more men like Ishmael in Barbados.

  30. David Avatar
    David

    @Simple Simon

    Why are you of the view Ishmael has large stones?

  31. SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife Avatar
    SirSimpleSimonPresidentForLife

    It takes large stones (metaphorical of course) to speak truth to power.

  32. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Thanks Simple for making your comments.
    This opened up a new source of information for me.
    I was surprised too see some names from back in the past.

  33. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Lest one forget the name of the person mentioned in SirSimpleSimonPresidentforLife ‘s post

    http://imgur.com/MzFGgNI

    The above provides an image for reference of auld acquaintance not yet forgotten

  34. Fair Minded Bajan Avatar
    Fair Minded Bajan

    I can speak the truth to this matter as I was party to the entire matter.
    Upon receiving a copy of said letter from Dr. Ishmael, The then Minister of Health Donville Inniss formally advised the then QEH Board that a no time did he advise or in any way sought to influence the transfer of any patient from the QEH to Sparman Clinic or any other doctor or healthcare facility. Certainly he did not have the skills, experience or authority to do such. He then sought an explanation and an apology from the QEH and Dr. Ishmael for this blatant lie. Ishmael refused to do such and as a result Inniss filed a lawsuit against Dr. Ishmael on this matter. That suit is still to be resolved in the Law Courts of Barbados.

    Furthermore I can attest that upon taking up office as Minister of Health, Inniss officially opened the Sparman Clinic. That was a request made of Inniss’ predecessor Dr. David Estwick and was simply accommodated by Inniss. Since then former Minister Inniss has been accused of being a part owner in the Sparman Clinic and for facilitating duty free concessions for the said Sparman Clinic. All such allegations are totally untrue. Certainly duty free concessions could only have been approved by the Minister of Finance and all indications are that such were approved by Finance Minister Owen Arthur. However Bajans are quick to hear talk and run off with rumours as the gospel truth. Worst when they involve a politician. We just enjoying saying negative things about politicians and dont care if there is a molecule of truth.

    The evidence is there for whomever wishes to see it that Richard Ishmael attempted to frustrate and destroy Dr. Sparman from the time he set foot in Barbados many years ago (under the then BLP too). Richard Ishmael begged his DLP Ministers of Health – Estwick, Inniss and Boyce, to help get rid of Sparman. All reminded him that such was a matter for the Barbados Medical Council and not for a Health Minister to address. Even Ishmael’s patient and good friend PM David Thompson concurred with that view.

    So before BU runs off with half truths and innuendos you should check your facts. Sparman presence in Barbados existed long before Inniss became Minister of Health. No Minister has ever sought to have a patient transferred to a private facility. Sparman’s alledged felonies were all addressed by Ishmael’s colleagues on the BMC who obviously saw it fit to approve him as a doctor in Barbados almost 20 years ago.

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