Chronic pain patients sitting on a government advisory panel have accused Health Secretary Humza Yousaf’s officials of “bullying and intimidation”.
Members of the committee – who live in constant agony – have told how they were threatened with expulsion over “tutting” and “eye rolling” after highlighting failings in treatment delivery.
We revealed earlier this month how patients are being forced to wait up to three years for life-changing steroid injections.
The shocking delays for follow-up jabs don’t appear in NHS statistics, which only record waiting times for initial appointments.
And an extraordinary row has now erupted between patients voted on to the National Advisory Committee on Chronic Pain and the officials running it.
One of them, Kathleen Powderly, said: “As a patient, you don’t expect being involved in a Scottish Government advisory panel to be a frightening experience but it was.
“I was astounded to be sent an email from health officials accusing me of bad behaviour and making ‘derogating remarks’ to the chair Dr John Harden.
“This started a prolonged threat to dismiss me, despite the fact I’d been elected a patient rep by other patients.
“I’ve served on several bodies and always try to be polite, so I asked what I was being accused of – a question they refused to answer for two months.
“I knew I had not said anything rude or derogatory, I had just highlighted serious issues with treatment delivery. They then claimed the behaviour was that I tutted or rolled my eyes while Dr Harden was speaking. I do not tut nor did I interrupt repeatedly. I may well have rolled my eyes.
“They could not name anything derogatory I had said and I feel I have been treated disgracefully.”
Relations with government officials soured after Kathleen and another patient member, Ian Semmons, raised concerns over waiting times and highlighted claims patients had not been informed of UK-wide advice that pain injections should be resumed after Covid-19 restrictions.
Emails seen by the Sunday Mail reveal how Kathleen was told: “The conduct in issue was you were seen to repeatedly interrupt Dr Harden, roll your eyes and tut when Dr Harden was speaking.”
Ian said: “I wonder if Humza Yousaf is aware of patients being threatened with dismissal for speaking out. I have also been
targeted with emails threatening me with expulsion. It feels like we were there as window dressing – it was just about public relations.”
Monica Lennon, co-convener of Holyrood’s Cross Party Group on chronic pain, said: “These patients feel bullied and betrayed by a government that cares more about appearances than making a difference to people’s lives.”
The Scottish Government said: “Any claims of bullying and intimidation are untrue. All committee members are free to make whatever contribution they wish to discussions.”
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