From Miss A. Butterworth, MRPharmS
SIR,—We have recently heard that Dr Harold Shipman was guilty of killing 15 and possibly 150 of his patients with injections of diamorphine.
I visited Dr Shipman about nine or 10 years ago, as I feared that I had a forged prescription. It was for a young man in his early 30s, and the drug (I cannot remember what it was) seemed inappropriate. Dr Shipman invited me into his consulting room, and said it was perfectly appropriate. He was very charming, but I do remember wondering why the drug was appropriate, as I was given no explanation. Should I have said "Why?" or is that unethical? I did express surprise.
Searching through my diaries for the past 15 years to find the name of the drug that Dr Shipman prescribed, I was struck by how many times I had rung doctors, never getting past stroppy receptionists, and often ringing the Drug Squad about forgeries. Dr Shipman was the only doctor I got to see face to face.
There should be more co-operation between doctors and pharmacists. It is difficult when your livelihood depends on your nearest doctor, and I had trouble during my working life with my local doctors. The family practitioner committee, family health services authority or whatever they were currently calling themselves generally ended up making me feel like the offender. It was often very frightening.
There are many questions that need to be answered. Most of these questions must be answered by the medical profession, but has the pharmaceutical profession shown enough vigilance?
Audrey Butterworth
Denton, Manchester