That this House notes that according to the
report written by Professor David Hull for North Staffordshire Trust about the
work of Professor David Southall in the report written for the University
Hospital of North Staffordshire by Professor McLeish and Dr Durbin, Professor
McLeish said that Professor Southall `pursued multiple clinical research studies
that were poorly designed and therefore were unlikely to produce new knowledge
of worth. More worryingly he appears to have had insufficient regard for the
ethical standards that should surround all clinical studies in babies'; believes
that such comments are important comments that require proper consideration; is
surprised that the University Hospital of North Staffordshire is unable to find
a copy of this report; calls for the hospital to find a copy of this report and
publish its contents; and further calls for an independent judicial or
Parliamentary inquiry into the research and clinical activities of Professor
David Southall, the failure of the regulatory system to prevent unethical
experiments on babies managed by Professor Southall and the misuse of child
protection and judicial procedures both to prevent parents from raising
complaints about his research and procure children for his
research.
EDM 2688 INDUCED ILLNESS
IN CHILDREN 10.10.2006
That this House notes that guidance from the
Department for Education and Skills, entitled Safeguarding Children in Whom
Illness is Induced or Fabricated by Carers with Parenting Responsibilities, says
that `when a "possible" explanation for the signs and symptoms of illness is
that "they may have been fabricated or induced by a carer", and as a consequence
the "child's health or development is or is likely to be impaired", a referral
should be made to the social services department'; further notes that the effect
of the above is to require parents alleged to have induced illness in their
children to prove their innocence, rather than to require those accusing parents
of inducing illness in their children to prove the guilt of parents; and calls
for a review of this guidance.
EDM 2679 TAKING CHILDREN
INTO CARE 09.10.2006
That this House notes that taking fewer
children into care would facilitate the provision for better services for those
who have been taken into care; further notes that many children have been taken
into care in error in the past; further notes that there is a conflict of
interest between social services acting as a supportive service and social
services acting as an enforcement-based service; and calls for the Secretary of
State for the Department of Education and Skills to review the option of taking
the enforcement role out of social services and into a specialist
agency.
EDM 2678 PROFESSOR DAVID
SOUTHALL'S RESEARCH CASE FILES 09.10.2006
That this House notes that Professor David
Southall has maintained Special Case files including details of research he has
managed on many thousands of babies over a number of years; further notes that
it is the view of the Chief Medical Officer that copies of such information
should be given to the patients who range throughout England and Wales from
Birmingham, through Barnsley to Banbury and Bristol; regrets that the University
Hospital of North Staffordshire National Health Service Trust has not as yet
done so; and calls for the UHNS Trust to act to rectify this
situation.
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