Founder resigns from "militant & divisive" Highland protest group
Claims Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) has "lost its way".
Last updated 30th Aug 2018
A once popular protest group set up to fight centralisation of NHS Highland healthcare services is in meltdown after its founder resigned last night.
Nicola Sinclair, who is currently an independent Highland councillor and part of the local authority's coalition administration, claims Caithness Health Action Team "has lost its way" and its militant and divisive attitude is putting CHAT "in danger of fighting for fighting’s sake."
She explained: "CHAT’s recent comments in the press are so disappointing to me.
"We worked hard as a committee to understand the inner workings of adult health and social care in Caithness, and we spoke regularly to local staff, patients and managers. Armed with this knowledge, we asked for a seat at the table when the Redesign stakeholder meetings began, and NHS Highland obliged.
"There were seven members of CHAT present at the series of meetings, and we all contributed to the idea of ‘care hubs’ in the east and west of the county.
"These care hubs would provide hospital beds, nursing home beds, palliative and respite care, GP and pharmacy services and even sheltered housing, all in one brand new, purpose built location.
"Crucially, every single local service would be protected and even enhanced, and Caithness General would benefit from a refurbishment to enlarge outpatients, surgical, Emergency Department and maternity.
"There was a level of consensus and good will that was heartening, and I truly believed that we were pulling together for the good of the county.
"At various points during the meetings the independent facilitator asked if anyone was unhappy with the process and nobody voiced any concerns.
"Directly after the meetings CHAT hailed this as a win for people power, and it was: a win for every member of the community who gave their time to make this happen."
"To go through this entire process as an active and enthusiastic participant only to then undermine it in the media, inferring that the process was somehow ‘rigged’ and the care hub concept fundamentally flawed is frankly irresponsible."
CHAT was set up in early 2016 to protect Caithness General Hospital's obstetric-led maternity services.
Since then its campaigners have grabbed many headlines in the local media, notably after organising a protest to save under threat hospitals in Wick and Thurso, which attracted over 3,000-people who took to the streets to march and join public rallies.
In May MFR News reported a story which appeared to mark the turning point in public opinion of/support for CHAT.
A Thurso doctor accused the group of creating a "toxic atmosphere" and "demoralising" NHS staff.
Dr Alison Brooks claimed to be fed up with social media posts from its members and supporters.
The local GP said negative patient experiences were being used to scaremonger "lots of patients" who Dr Brooks said were "absolutely terrified."
She added: "When Caithness Health Action Team were set up, they did have some very good intentions, but I think they've gone completely out of control.
"There has been such a strong, passionate campaign. I've no doubt they're very passionate about their beliefs, but in doing so they are demoralising the current staff in the county.
"A lot of the nursing staff are feeling very undervalued. They're feeling that their work is under scrutiny.
"Some of them have voiced that they would leave the area, and there are other people who've said they wouldn't come to the area because of the toxic atmosphere that's here at the moment."
An MFR News poll which started on May 11th revealed close to a 50/50-split of support for Caithness Health Action Team.
Respondents were asked: 'Thurso doctor claims "out of control" Caithness Health Action Team members/supporters "demoralising" NHS staff. Do you agree?'
In a statement on Facebook last night Nicola Sinclair posted: "Plans to stage a large public protest on maternity were also announced without first discussing at a committee meeting.
"I have been very open with my stance on maternity. I do not support a return to the previous model because I respect the tragedy that took place.
"Our local midwives have been through the wringer and are trying to make the best of a system that they did not choose.
"To keep making accusations on social media that they cannot refute creates an intolerable working environment, and the idea of another public protest will cause further upset.
"Worse still, it could derail the consultation into the future of our hospitals, which is so important to get right.
"I asked NHS Highland to acknowledge ongoing maternity concerns by agreeing to an open public meeting attended by clinicians and managers, and I believe that is a constructive and helpful way to allow local families the chance to share their stories and ask their questions.
"A large protest march would make that meeting impossible and I do not believe it’s in the public’s best interest."
MFR News has contacted CHAT for a comment.
FULL TEXT OF NICOLA SINCLAIR'S RESIGNATION LETTER:
Dear CHAT,
It is with a heavy heart I am offering you my resignation from the group. As you know, I have been concerned about the tone and strategy of the campaign for some time now, and I have tried without success to suggest a more constructive approach. Unfortunately I believe the group has lost its way. It’s my opinion that if you only shout all the time, people will eventually stop listening. I think CHAT is in danger of fighting for fighting’s sake, and this militant and divisive attitude will do more harm than good.
When I founded CHAT in early 2016 I was pregnant with my second child, and many of the other founding members were also parents who were brought together by a shared commitment to protect our local obstetric-led services. Sadly most of the original committee has now drifted away. Once we got started it became clear that the campaign needed to be much wider than maternity, and should also include our local hospitals and clinics, many of which we feared were under threat of centralisation.
Our campaign then was outspoken but not extreme, and there were as many light hearted moments as there were angry ones. We regularly sat down with NHS managers and clinicians, local councillors, MSPs, activists and patients, and together we discussed how local healthcare provision could be protected. When we saw an unwillingness to listen, we resorted to protests. There is of course a place for these. I will be forever grateful to the public for turning out in their thousands to publicly defend their hospitals and services, and I firmly believe that if more than 2,000 people had not joined our march last winter the current Redesign consultation would be looking at which hospital to close, and not proposing a £30m investment in both sides of the county.
Which is why CHAT’s recent comments in the press are so disappointing to me. We worked hard as a committee to understand the inner workings of adult health and social care in Caithness, and we spoke regularly to local staff, patients and managers. Armed with this knowledge, we asked for a seat at the table when the Redesign stakeholder meetings began, and NHS Highland obliged. There were seven members of CHAT present at the series of meetings, and we all contributed to the idea of ‘care hubs’ in the east and west of the county. These care hubs would provide hospital beds, nursing home beds, palliative and respite care, GP and pharmacy services and even sheltered housing, all in one brand new, purpose built location. Crucially, every single local service would be protected and even enhanced, and Caithness General would benefit from a refurbishment to enlarge outpatients, surgical, Emergency Department and maternity.
What was surprising about these meetings is that this diverse mix of patients, staff, community groups, executives, campaigners and politicians all came up with very similar priorities and ideas. There was a level of consensus and good will that was heartening, and I truly believed that we were pulling together for the good of the county. At various points during the meetings the independent facilitator asked if anyone was unhappy with the process and nobody voiced any concerns. Directly after the meetings CHAT hailed this as a win for people power, and it was: a win for every member of the community who gave their time to make this happen. What we have before us now is a genuine opportunity. An opportunity to protect and enhance our local services and give our beleaguered local NHS staff (because none of this has been easy for them) a more certain future and a more pleasant working environment.
To go through this entire process as an active and enthusiastic participant only to then undermine it in the media, inferring that the process was somehow ‘rigged’ and the care hub concept fundamentally flawed is frankly irresponsible. Talking to the press can be difficult, and it’s tempting to make big headline-grabbing statements, but we have a responsibility to the people who have supported us and that means being honest, open and fair in how we communicate. It also means being fair to the wider membership and taking the time to consult them before taking such a stance. I know that many members of the committee have a very different opinion and I feel sorry for my friends who have given so much time for a cause they believe in.
Similarly, plans to stage a large public protest on maternity were also announced without first discussing at a committee meeting. I have been very open with my stance on maternity. I do not support a return to the previous model because I respect the tragedy that took place, but I would ideally like to see more women able to give birth locally. 90%+ travelling down the A9 in labour is not a safer system in my view, and I want to see the CMU strengthened and improved to provide safer transfers and better emergency provision. Ideally I would love to see an obstetric-led service returned, but without any clinical knowledge I do not know how (or if) that could be done safely. What I do know without a doubt is that our local midwives have been through the wringer and are trying to make the best of a system that they did not choose. To keep making accusations on social media that they cannot refute creates an intolerable working environment, and the idea of another public protest will cause further upset. Worse still, it could derail the consultation into the future of our hospitals, which is so important to get right. I asked NHS Highland to acknowledge ongoing maternity concerns by agreeing to an open public meeting attended by clinicians and managers, and I believe that is a constructive and helpful way to allow local families the chance to share their stories and ask their questions. A large protest march would make that meeting impossible and I do not believe it’s in the public’s best interest.
In writing this I know very well that I would not be a councillor today had it not been for CHAT. My work with Wick Community Council and then CHAT gave me a public profile, and a large percentage of the people who voted me in will have done so because they want someone to fight for local health services. I am still 100% committed to doing that, and I have been working tirelessly since my election. However I have a professional responsibility to do what I think is best for Caithness, to listen to people, and to make a careful judgement. Some people have commented that I am in a difficult position but actually it’s simple: I just have to be honest. I cannot remain a member of CHAT just because I am afraid of a public backlash. I have to have the courage to do what I think is right, and let people judge me on my record at the end of my term.
I do believe that CHAT was once, and can still be, a powerful voice for positive change. I hope you find your way again.