Robbie Powell-One step nearer Justice

Since I stopped writing for a certain blog site some months ago, I have not featured Robbie Powell and his death some nineteen years ago at the hands of inept, so called “Doctors” who covered up by altering his medical records and lying to save their own skins, you can read Robbie’s “story” here.

Or the GMC who have used their rules to stop an investigation into those “Doctors”, which isn’t surprising because the general attitude of the ‘Medical Regulator’ is to treat the public as “non people” who have the gall to complain about treatment by some doctors who manage to kill patients and walk away.

So today I am going to correct my error, and I apologise to Will Powell and his family for not continuing the battle.

It looks like after almost twenty years of fighting for his son, Robbie’s case is nearer justice for him; a public inquiry into the death of a 10-year-old boy from a treatable condition moved a step closer today.

On his last day in office, it was revealed that First Minister Rhodri Morgan was minded to call an inquiry into the death of Robbie Powell.

The issue of the inquiry and its terms of reference will be decided by Mr Morgan's successor in the New Year.

Robbie died 19 years ago after doctors failed to detect he had Addison's disease, a chronic but treatable condition affecting the adrenal glands.

The charity, Action against Medical Accidents, recently abandoned a judicial review into a decision by the General Medical Council (GMC) not to investigate the case after an application for protected costs was dismissed.

Robbie's father William, of Ystradgynlais in the Swansea Valley, asked the GMC to investigate in 2003.

In 2004 an inquest jury returned a verdict of natural causes, aggravated by neglect.

The inquest heard Robbie was seen by a series of doctors in the months before his death in April 1990, but none diagnosed his condition. It was only discovered after a post-mortem examination was carried out.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokeswoman said: "The First Minister has indicated to Mr Powell on a number of occasions in previous correspondence that he felt unable to reach the point at which a final conclusion to his request for a public inquiry could be reached whilst there were outstanding issues being actively considered by other bodies.

"Following recent developments in the case relating to the GMC, the First Minister decided that he was now able to advise Mr Powell how he was minded to proceed.

"The First Minister has written to Mr Powell and the other parties affected to say that he is minded to set up an inquiry.

"This letter starts a consultative process which will end on January 25, 2010, and which will inform further decisions by the First Minister's successor on the issue of an inquiry and its detailed terms of reference."

Let’s hope that the “powers that be” finally get off their arses and give Robbie and his family an end to the interminable denials, lies and self serving interest that has prevented Justice for this young boy.

Good luck Will.


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