Re: Dr Skinner -The Birmingham Mail and the Grossly Inaccurate GMC report

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila

Do you have a pro forma complaint letter I can use to write to the Birmingham

Mail editor and theEditors' Code of Practice - Press Complaints Commission

please?

I am happy to write but need guidance!

Thanks

Charlie

[Guest guest]

Dear Sheila

Just a small point (asa former journalist) the journalist who wrote the story will not have written the headline - that will have been written by a sub-editor who will have read the story (probably very sketchily) and written the most sensationlist headline he or she can think of to attract readers to read it. Alison Diyani will not have "published" the story - she wrote it, and I see no reason to believe she is not a member of the newspaper's staff and therefore your comment "claims to be one of their journalists" is bordering on being defmatory initself. It is "published" in the Birmingham Mail.

I appreciate that you are very supportive of Dr Skinner (and as a hypothyroidism sufferer myself I appreciate the work that the TPA is doing - although I find most of what I read on your website and in emails is far too "technical" for me to understand and therefore not very helpful) but I would advise caution in what you write about others. Having read the article, although it has been (as I would expect) sensationalised, I would not agree that it is "disgracefully inaccurate".

=MsoPlainText>7.

[Guest guest]

Hello Sara

Yes, picked me up on the 'claims to be' remark last

night, and this has been changed on our web site so many thanks for that.

Thanks also for the explanation about the headline being written

by a sub-editor who obviously DID read the story sketchily, in the same way

Alison Diyani also reported sketchily just a fraction of what she heard in her

very short visit on the last afternoon of the Hearing.

Thanks also for your helpful remarks in advising 'caution' in

what I write.  However, had you been 100% involved in this case for the past 7

years, attended each of the several GMC Hearings and read through all the

Transcripts available to everybody that we have uploaded on our web site over

the years, you would not have made your final comment.

Sheila

I appreciate that you are very supportive of Dr Skinner (and as a

hypothyroidism sufferer myself I appreciate the work that the TPA is doing -

although I find most of what I read on your website and in emails is far too

" technical " for me to understand and therefore not very helpful) but

I would advise caution in what you write about others. Having read the article,

although it has been (as I would expect) sensationalised, I would not agree

that it is " disgracefully inaccurate " .

=MsoPlainText>7.

[Guest guest]

Sorry Charlie, no I do not. I think it is better that you write

the letter yourself using your own words, otherwise editors get wise to the

same letter being sent over and over again, and eventually they ignore all of

the complaints. I gave loads of hints in the message I sent out to all our

members so hopefully, you should be able to write one using some of those.

Write from the heart, it is always best. And, if you are angry at the way it

was reported, then let the editor know how angry you are.

Luv - Sheila

Do you have a pro forma complaint letter I can use to write to the Birmingham

Mail editor and theEditors' Code of Practice - Press Complaints Commission

please?

I am happy to write but need guidance!

Thanks

Charlie

[Guest guest]

Dear Sheila

Just a small point (asa former journalist) the journalist who wrote the story

will not have written the headline - that will have been written by a sub-editor

who will have read the story (probably very sketchily) and written the most

sensationlist headline he or she can think of to attract readers to read it.

Alison Diyani will not have " published " the story - she wrote it, and I see no

reason to believe she is not a member of the newspaper's staff and therefore

your comment " claims to be one of their journalists " is bordering on being

defmatory initself. It is " published " in the Birmingham Mail.

[Guest guest]

Wow Sheila - that just goes to show we shouldn't believe what we read in the papers - I am duly shocked and have written as you suggested. On a personal note I spoke to my own GP yesterday evening to discuss my blood test results and the huge improvement since following Dr P's protocol and refusing thyroxine. He was gracious enough to admit he was very impressed which was nice of him after his statement "that nothing natural could treat Hypothyroid". He also picked up the low Vit D reading (of course I had had to

request that be tested as it wasn't done the first time before I met you wonderful people in TPA) so he suggested I might like to supplement myself as I am not so low as to fall within his guidelines for it. Doing my research on Vit D - I see it may aid weight loss too which would be a big bonus. Thank you everyone at TPA Pippa

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[Guest guest]

There was something written on this - it has disappeared!!! Will resend my message. C

From: Colleen Maclaren <colleenmaclaren@...>"thyroid treatment " <thyroid treatment > Sent: Thursday, 24 November 2011, 12:09Subject: Re: Dr Skinner -The Birmingham Mail and the Grossly Inaccurate GMC report

Dear SheilaJust a small point (asa former journalist) the journalist who wrote the story will not have written the headline - that will have been written by a sub-editor who will have read the story (probably very sketchily) and written the most sensationlist headline he or she can think of to attract readers to read it. Alison Diyani will not have "published" the story - she wrote it, and I see no reason to believe she is not a member of the newspaper's staff and therefore your comment "claims to be one of their journalists" is bordering on being defmatory initself. It is "published" in the Birmingham Mail.

[Guest guest]

I was very sad when I read the piece.

I have emailed the editor and written to the press people, just might take time

as you cannot email them for me to get my letter to them as it has to be posted

snail mail.

take care all

luv Dawnx

[Guest guest]

I have always taken what I read in the newspapers with a pinch of salt, ever since (many years ago) the firm I worked for were representing a celebrity.    Because the press kept on phoning a press release article was drawn up.   When the press phoned I read out to them what was written on that paper.

However, when the various papers were printed, not one of them had written anything like what I had read out to them.    They had put slants on which they thought would sell their papers.

They didn't even put the right age.    I had read out say 45 but in one paper he was 42 in another he was 47 and in another yet another age.I would also go as far as saying we shouldn't believe everything we see on TV as well, as they also produce biased programmes.    And with all kinds of things they can do with photographs nowadays even the photo can lie.

Lilian

Wow Sheila - that just goes to show we shouldn't believe what we read in the papers 

[Guest guest]

Dawn

Do you have the proper mail address for the editor as my letter has been

returned.

Thanks

Irene.

>

>

> I was very sad when I read the piece.

> I have emailed the editor and written to the press people, just might take

time as you cannot email them for me to get my letter to them as it has to be

posted snail mail.

>

> take care all

> luv Dawnx

>

[Guest guest]

>

> I have always taken what I read in the newspapers with a pinch of salt,

I Home Educate my youngest son, now stop there and think what was your very

first impression when you read that. Did the very first impression have anything

to do with your actual knowledge of how Home Education works, any experience you

personally have about it, or do you personally know someone who's been Home

Educated or who Home Educates their children?

Or was your first impression based on what you heard in the media after the Kyra

Ishaq case where Social Workers were actually blamed but the media never

bothered to report that properly, preferring to blame the fact that the parents

took the children out of school to Home Educate them?

That is why I don't trust the media AT ALL to not have personal or malicious

slant on anything newsworthy.

2

[Guest guest]

Dear Sheila

I fear the whole tone of the report on Dr Skinner's vindication on the website

is wrong. (I mean http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/drskinner_exonerated.php )

How many people will have encountered this dingbat reporter's ill informed

musings? - answer is a limited number of people mainly based locally. Just

ignore it.

The news is that the GMC have accepted that what he does is in order and that

others can do the same without fear. The news is not that said reporter cannot

understand this simple fact.

To tell the truth I think that the page as it currently stands is quite likely

to prompt the thought " no smoke without fire " . What we want is to empower

people to ask for and expect better treatment.

(the contact to complain to the Post if anybody is bothered to is

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/correctionsandclarifications/2011/11/15/corre\

ctions-and-clarifications-97319-29779649/ )

Steve

>

> For all those of you who care about Dr Skinner and the future of

> correctly diagnosing hypothyroidism and treating this condition using a

> choice of thyroid hormone replacement, I beg you to either telephone, or

> write to The Editor of the Birmingham Mail asking him to correct the

> disgracefully inaccurate article published by Alison Diyani, who

[Guest guest]

Hi Steve - there is

not " a limited number of people " . The report was in the main

Birmingham paper - that has a huge number of readers. The majority of

other newspapers have also copied the Birmingham Mail reporting. However, since

I have written the Press Release that will be going out to all papers on behalf

of all the members of TPA (2700) I think there is no longer a need to leave

that message on the web site. It was basically to get people to write to

complain strongly, mainly about her use of the word 'Reckless' in the title,

and then point out where else she had gone wrong.

Luv - Sheila

Dear Sheila

I fear the whole tone of the report on Dr Skinner's vindication on the website

is wrong. (I mean http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/drskinner_exonerated.php

)

How many people will have encountered this dingbat reporter's ill informed

musings? - answer is a limited number of people mainly based locally. Just

ignore it.

The news is that the GMC have accepted that what he does is in order and that

others can do the same without fear. The news is not that said reporter cannot

understand this simple fact.

To tell the truth I think that the page as it currently stands is quite likely

to prompt the thought " no smoke without fire " . What we want is to

empower people to ask for and expect better treatment.

(the contact to complain to the Post if anybody is bothered to is

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/correctionsandclarifications/2011/11/15/corrections-and-clarifications-97319-29779649/

)

Steve

_._,___

[Guest guest]

I agree with Steve and do not think we should even refer to the newspaper at all. It might even be considered free advertising for them.

There should just be a piece like we would have liked them to write. A short piece about Dr. Skinner now being able to practice without restriction.

The emotion should be taken out of it and only the facts, and short at that, being relayed. Just enough for patients to show their doctors if the refusal to refer was because of the investigation.

Lilian

I fear the whole tone of the report on Dr Skinner's vindication on the website is wrong. (I mean http://www.tpa-uk.org.uk/drskinner_exonerated.php )

[Guest guest]

I have asked to remove that piece and instead, to upload

the TPA Press Release. Members can copy off the first section of the Press

Release which is only short, factual and gives them the information they need.

Luv - Sheila

I agree with Steve and do not think we should even refer to the

newspaper at all. It might even be considered free advertising

for them.

[Guest guest]

I had a reply to my email message of complaint, from Alison Dayani (though I'd

addressed the email to s). She chose to avoid replying to my charges

of lack of balance, but said " Dr Skinner has been contacted over doing an

interview with the paper and if he chooses to do so, that will appear at a

future date. "

Hans

[Guest guest]

Hello Hans - everybody got exactly the same reply from Alison

Dayani - she says she was sent a copy of the determination by the GMC and took

the information from there. Unfortunately, she was very selective in the

information she took and it is a cop out to say that Dr S has been contacted

about giving an interview. At the moment, Dr S has contacted the Medical Defence

Union to see where he stands legally, and will not be taking up any such offer

until he has been advised by them.

Luv - Sheila

I had a reply to my email message of complaint,

from Alison Dayani (though I'd addressed the email to s). She chose

to avoid replying to my charges of lack of balance, but said " Dr Skinner has

been contacted over doing an interview with the paper and if he chooses to do

so, that will appear at a future date. "

Hans

[Guest guest]

Sheila

In the early hours I found myself getting cross about that reply (which I

guessed was standard), and later replied by email suggesting Dr S might be

circumspect about accepting an interview invitation given the risk of further

unbalanced reporting. I hope that's made her at least a bit cross.

Hans

>

> Hello Hans - everybody got exactly the same reply from Alison Dayani

[Guest guest]

Oh Hans, I DO like that. I wonder what she thought of that,

because to be honest, this is so TRUE.

Luv - Sheila

Sheila

In the early hours I found myself getting cross about that reply (which I

guessed was standard), and later replied by email suggesting Dr S might be

circumspect about accepting an interview invitation given the risk of further

unbalanced reporting. I hope that's made her at least a bit cross.

Hans

>

> Hello Hans - everybody got exactly the same reply from Alison Dayani