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

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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

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

  1. David Avatar
    David

    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.

  2. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    My position on that is that, if they are paying NIS and PAYE, it must be assumed that they are here legally. If they are paying NIS and PAYE and are here legally, then they ought to be eligible for whatever medical services the state provides. It only makes sense. Otherwise, we are saying that a tax payer to Barbados with a communicable disease should remain untreated and put the rest of us at risk. It is the ethic of the situation, however, that has to be considered. If someone is paying taxes in Barbados into the public purse from whence comes the wherewithal to pay for certain medical treatment, it is unthinkable that they ought not to be able to avail themselves of that medical treatment. Fair is fair, after all. There are many Bajans who have been to Britain on holiday and got sick there and been treated with their medication paid for (usually all but prescription charges) by the UK’s National Health Service. Also, there is the aspect of our Christian values at issue.

  3. jack spratt Avatar
    jack spratt

    David, sounds like unconstitutional discrimination to me on the basis of nationality.

  4. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    David I heard the mother’s complaint on Brass Tacks today that her son who has been living in Barbados for 18 or 19 years and who pays taxes and National Insurance to the Barbados government now has to pay for his medicine.

    If this is true it is clearly an injustice.

    If you work and pay income taxes and national insurance, and VAT and property taxes surely you should be entitled to tax-funded services and benefits.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    Your comments seem to reflect a prevailing view. Here is a matter which requires Minister Inniss’ intervention. It has been languishing for too long now. It is not an issue the Minister should feel inclined to offer ‘no comment’. Not a Minister who subscribes to being patient-centric or should that be customer-centric?

    Come, come things are beginning to unravel.

  6. Public Essentials Avatar
    Public Essentials

    When will the people of this island come together and protest and shut this corrupt place down?

    Some “big up” people in Barbados wants JAIL time.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    Today on the callin one could conclude there is a resignation about how things are done/decisions made in Barbados. Our Fourth Estate has surrendered if we are to judge by some of David Ellis’ responses. Who are the stakeholders in civil society to lead/mobilize the people?

  8. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    David | December 28, 2010 at 1:20 AM |

    On the matter of Ishmael writing on a letterhead. Without having eyeballed the staff rules of the QEH which regulate this matter, it is generally accepted practice that a letterhead is used when corresponding with external customers. Internal memoranda is usually scribed on a different format.

    Having admitted the foregoing, to suspend someone of Dr. Ishmael’s tenure/stature for writing on a letterhead is frivolous at best. This action taken by the Board has obviously been influenced by other factors.

    Not necessarily so David. When writing to senior personnel on SERIOUS internal matters, e.g. Assistant Deputy Ministers (Permanent Secretaries), Deputy Ministers, or Ministers, it is acceptable to write memoranda on the LETTERHEAD. You instruct the Secretary to use letterhead with Memorandum format. She types M E M O R A N D U M near the top and continue in the prescribed format. For complaints a letter is the accepted format and always on letter head.

  9. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    An de 4 critically ill likkle children still need a Cardiologist while Ishmael probly home watchin de Tele widdout medecine an de priest at church ministerin to de minister an prayin fuh divine intervention.

  10. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Jack Bowman (from over on the other blog) December 22, 2010 at 10:41 pm
    “So … what actually happened to the money that European taxpayers gave to Barbados “6 years ago” for a cardiovascular care centre? Where is that money? On what has European taxpayers’ money been spent in Barbados?”

    There is a loud silence from the BLP in this matter.

    If the DLP cannot or will not say what became of the EU’s money, maybe the BLP can tell us, since they were in office 6 years ago.

  11. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    That EU money talk is a non-issue.

  12. Barbados Uh Come From Avatar
    Barbados Uh Come From

    Mr. Stuart, p -l -e-a-s-e- DO SOMETHING!
    Mr. Thompson will NOT be back, so that “keeping house” mode done …. was even done BEFORE Mr. Thompson passed, because from his own living mouth, he had “devolved” or passed on full authority to his deputy.

    Real flood damage has been occurring to BIM, and at least you have to shift around the furniture, or move it upstairs.
    So many things unravelling in all areas, but you appear to be hiding behind that “treachery thing”, and just spouting latin and dry jokes? That won’t do. We need leadership Sir.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Pat

    Maybe you are right but it should be clear the letterhead business is not the central reason for Dr. Ishmael’s suspension.

  14. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    Fuh Goodness sake. I am tired reading bs about letterhead. Letterhead smhetterhead. Who gives a toss about letterheads.

    The real issue is the functioning and successful client care of patients, at efficient cost to the taxpayers and in best practice.

    Anything else is a political red herring, management should get to business already and stop being schoolyard twits.

    From the Merriam-Webster online:

    Definition of POMPOUS
    1: excessively elevated or ornate
    2: having or exhibiting self-importance : arrogant
    3: relating to or suggestive of pomp or splendor : magnificent
    — pomp·ous·ly adverb
    — pomp·ous·ness noun

    Now, get over it already and run the xrigging hospital.

    Morons.

  15. Crusoe Avatar
    Crusoe

    And yes, I am getting a bit annoyed now.

    To go further, if the hospital was Japanese and they had elevators that did not work for ten plus years, the management would have committed hari-kari by now, as a matter of honour.

    That elevator thing may seem small, but it is very important, it presents an impression (right or wrong, but based on recent events, appears fair) of what is wrong at the place, slapdash ‘yuh going get what yuh get’ approach.

    This is xullxrap for our main medical institution.

    Dont Barbadians have any pride that our hospital is in the xhitter, that our Bridgetown looks dirty and like xhit?

    Maybe it is appropriate then that our national pledge in Independence Square was broken for months and only just fixed.

    Because the ‘Pride and Industry’ has been replaced by ‘ ‘Pomposity and Self-Enrichment’.

    That’s my rant for the day.

  16. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Euff “Enuff | December 28, 2010 at 11:17 PM | That EU money talk is a non-issue.”

    Dear Enuff: Please explain.

  17. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    Sparman was on TV last night doing some public relations. He has learned well from the Dees. When will Stuart deal with this matter.They need to reinstate Ishmael, he has raised an issue, is that a crime?

    Stuart is extremely slow in dealing with issues this does not portend well for a dynamic and tumultous era in which B’dos operates.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    Dr. Sparman was accommodated on Voice of Barbados peddling his PR. Interesting times indeed!

    The most interesting quote of the week for BU was delivered by Barbados’ leading journalist David Ellis – ‘there is a place for telemedicine’. We urge Mr.Ellis to cloak his utterances with some context . Interesting times indeed.

  19. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    @ Random Thoughts
    Do you think the EU with its stringent accountability rules and an office up in Marine Gardens would allow the GoB to misuse funding and 6 years later still in the dark about it? A cardiovascular unit after all is not intangible.

  20. Guy Depeiza Avatar
    Guy Depeiza

    To All the AHs out there.
    NEWS FLASH.
    Telemedicine has failed at QEH> Dr Ishmael’s suspension temporarily lifted this am. I am told that this was under threat of court action to save a dying child.
    Where is the priest now. AH,
    I have never heard of tele- injections,tele-surgery, tele-burr holes.
    THE ONLY SUCCESSFULL TELE ANYTHING AT QEH IS THE MINISTER’S TELE-PRICK(chairman),

  21. David Avatar
    David

    BU cannot confirm or deny the comment posted by Guy Depeiza

  22. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @David re David Ellis

    Telemedecine is great if you are exploring Antartica or live in Thunder bay Ontario.
    At least in Ontario we have air ambulances to support “telemedecine”.

  23. David Avatar
    David

    Information quoted by Guy Depeiza is correct. Wither telemedicine?

    Oh boy!

  24. BAJAN TRUTH Avatar
    BAJAN TRUTH

    News flash! Hospital recalled Dr. Ishmael to deal with a very ill paedriatric case. I wonder why they did not use the telemedicine route? You mean they did not consider that telemedicine was not appropriate for emergencies. Morons indeed. Hospitals cannot be used for political powerplays at the expense of patients. The Minister and Chairman should be ashamed of themselves. Why they did not call Sparman or he is not qualified. Or is it that the child not paying?

  25. Barbados Uh Come From Avatar
    Barbados Uh Come From

    @David | December 29, 2010 at 2:36 PM |
    “BU cannot confirm or deny the comment posted by Guy Depeiza”

    VOB 929 in their 4:30 News that they understand from Hospital sources that Dr. Ishmael was consulted regarding the health of a paediatric patient. This they said placed raised questions about the status of Ishmael’s month-long suspension.

    Guy Depeiza seems to be on the ball with happenings at the QEH. But if this report is true, what a sorry mess created by Georgie Porgie’s “DELORES, DONVILLE, DEXTER,and THE DUNCE [WHOIT?], TRAINED AT THE FEET OF DIOTROPHES”

  26. Barbados Uh Come From Avatar
    Barbados Uh Come From

    @Barbados Uh Come From | December 29, 2010 at 5:32 AM | “Mr. P.M. Stuart, p -l -e-a-s-e- DO SOMETHING!”

    Don’t wait on Mr.Thompson; he will NOT be back!
    Say SOMETHING … even if you say it in LATIN! Looking for you tonight on CBC DLP TV News at 7:00 p.m.

  27. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    I am glad that common sense prevailed and Dr.Ishmael was called back to deal with an emergency pediatric case.
    There was no reason for his suspension. If he was sued by the Minister and Dr.Sparman then let the courts deal with that.
    Now where are all of these Barbadian island scholars that became doctors that we spend so much money on? Are they any cardiologist among them? Most of the heart specialist here are Guyanese Dr.Massay and Dr.Sparman.

  28. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!!

    We have now discovered that telemedicine is just like TELESEX.

    Ok if you can’t do any better.

    But when you want real satisfaction or real results you have to have the REAL THING.

  29. Keep it Real Avatar
    Keep it Real

    If it is true…it’s good to hear that Dr. Ishmeal’s suspension has been lifted be it temporary or otherwise…. I for one never agreed with any suspension. If Ishmeal became overwhelmed with jealousy and vexation, got carried away and engaged in unreasonable behavior by drafting hear say on QEH stationery then if any of these statements are proven libelous the court will deal with that. Both of these men are capable and qualified cardiologists, it is a pity when a persons bruised ego takes over and turns an otherwise decent man into an envious, jealous, angry character who is bent on destruction. Dr Ishmeal should familarize himself with an old eastern saying which warns men away from being the vessel that holds jealously, envy and greed simply because these three toxic attributes erodes the vessel that bears them. Dr. Sparman has never professed to be an angel but his commitment to the advancement of cardiology in this country speaks for itself. Judge the man on the merits of his profession and leave the angels to judge him otherwise for no man is without sin.

  30. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    But maybe the naked news people, have come to believe that visual pornography as seen on tv or the internetis the same as real sex.

    It isn’t.

  31. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    David Thompson WILL NOT come back.

    About 150 billion people have been born and DIED since the beginning of the world.

    Only one is claimed to have come back.

    David Thompson is not that one. David Thompson won’t be back.

    He is as dead as the other 150 billion.

    The PM can move forward now without being a traitor.

  32. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Keep it real ” Both of these men are capable and qualified cardiologists”

    Only one of these men is a cardilogist.

    Dr. Sparman is NOT a cardiologist.

    Although he may dabble in heart surgery.

  33. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Ok GP.

    No need to put theological licks on me.

    I know about about Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter et. al.

  34. Sexi Bitch AKA Poor People Governor Avatar
    Sexi Bitch AKA Poor People Governor

    Great!
    But when he was with the PM why you same people where not interested in the health of the other patients
    because the PM was a bigger fish
    They were no critically ill children then?

  35. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    Quoting Enuff | December 29, 2010 at 9:16 AM | @ Do you think the EU with its stringent accountability rules and an office up in Marine Gardens would allow the GoB to misuse funding and 6 years later still in the dark about it?

    MAYBE THE EU’S ACCOUNTABILITY RULES ASRE NOT THAT STRINGENT. MAYBE THE EU IS STILL HAS ITS BOOKS OPEN ON THIS. An office is only as good as its officers

    A cardiovascular unit after all is not intangible.

    I KNOW. WE WILL SEE.

  36. Anonlegal Avatar
    Anonlegal

    Amused

    I still think that the claim is misconceived but I am interested to see how it turns out.

  37. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    I pity the Dems, though!

    The Chairman and the Minister have egg all over their faces. I thought the Chairman said that the QEH was going the route of telemedicine! You mean the telemedicine did not work.

    I know they were clueless and have don’t have the slightest idea how to manage Barbados. But I wonder who placed the call to Dr. Ishmael, they must have been ‘shame to make the call!

  38. David Avatar
    David

    CEO Dexter James made the call.

  39. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    I sentence the guilty parties – and they know who they are – to a lifetime of telesex.

    The can have as much telesex as they want, but for the rest of their lives that are forbidden to touch another human being for the purpose of sexual pleasure.

  40. chattel Avatar
    chattel

    Kudos to Dexter James for having the testicular fortitude to make the call! I wait to see how PM Stuart responds (or not) to this sordid situation. Keeping a cardiologist form his patients because of an admin issue, stupse. Keep your troops in order Sir.
    Anyhow, how does the telesex thing work, I’m kinda curious…

  41. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    @ Charlie and
    @ Keep it Real

    Where did Dr. Sparman get his qualifications as a Heart Specialist? Where did he do his specialization? Have you seen his diploma? What School did he attend?

    Please explain how he is a qualilfied cardiologist. Thanks in advance.

  42. Christopher Halsall Avatar
    Christopher Halsall

    @BU.David: “CEO Dexter James made the call.

    As one of my favourite authors, J. Michael Straczynski, once wrote for a lead character, John Sheridan…

    “You just have to say ‘no, I won’t’ one more time than they can say ‘yes, you will’.

  43. Prodigal Son Avatar
    Prodigal Son

    The “powful” foolish Chairman should have made the call, since he feel he is so powerful! He had a lot of mouth, let’s see how he spins the recall!

    But I noticed that BAMP playing the waiting game, they ain’t saying too much at all!

    I am thinking that these two children were definitely in danger and as they could not understand the telemedicine, that is….. no one to follow the instructions, they had no choice but to recall Ishmael!

    Shame! Shame! Shame! And not a word from our wordy PM!

  44. sharky Avatar
    sharky

    Have anybody really read this letter and understand what the Goodly Doctor was saying.Our cardiac faclities are not up to scratch.A critically ill patient being kept in a stat room,tell me that the heart equiptment that the doc says we don’t have was there. If Sparman have the equiptment,then i would want my loved one to go there. If the facts are as stated about the way Sparman went about tyring to offer assistance ,then i would fault him,but if i had the choice to choose between the hospital and sparman clinic right now for cardiac care ,it is sparman i going.We know when it is the turn of the big boys bout here to get sick ,they leave and head up north.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.May she rest in peace

  45. Donville Bullen Avatar
    Donville Bullen

    So Dr Ishmeal get call back. Why? A child”s life was at risk!!!!JOKERS.

    At School
    A group of dogs is called??? A Pack.
    A group of fish is called??? A school.

    Now children please do not tell your parents This
    A PACK OF JACKASSES IS CALLED??? The QEH BOARD. Who answer that Donville,Delores and Dexter it was not you!! Sit Down!! No need to tief you are not getting anything for the right answer. ” I doan know wha gine becum of the tree a dem. Ya lible to tink dem is triplets. Sometimes I tink de want lokin up.

  46. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    On another note. Anyone noticed how the thoughtless scrapping of the flyovers now requires another $43.5 million to address the traffic issues at Warrens?

  47. David Avatar
    David

    Did the QEH release a statement yesterday afternoon? An earlier report indicated a statement would have been made.

  48. Charlie Avatar
    Charlie

    Pat
    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. If they are fake, the medical board would have allowed a fraud act on the Barbadian public.
    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.
    By the way there is a unit upstairs where heart patients are located. If that is possible then someone working there would have to be a heart specialist unless the government is allowing another fraud act on Barbadians.

  49. Checkit-out Avatar
    Checkit-out

    Enuff re. your post of Dec. 30, 2010 at 6:06 AM;

    Yes. I noticed. I did’nt like the flyover idea as I couldn’t visualise how it would work. But I also have some concerns with the new dispensation with its numerous new roundabouts and inadequate provision for children crossing the lanes at the Redman village crossing .

    Did you notice that it is essentially the same people who were involved in the Flyover project who are also involved in this one?

    That’s bipartisanship for you.

  50. David Avatar
    David

    Listened to the interview with Minister Donville Inniss and David Ellis a few moments ago. It was a good clear the air 20 minutes. The minister denied being affiliated with Sparman and his 20 million dollar clinic.

    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.

    As far as BU is aware the matter is not sub judice.

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