Specialist appointment

When I first drew attention to his departure, many people spoke very highly in support of his work, with just one person being negative and one neutral. I can only speak very highly of our personal dealings with him.

Until the Press article, I was not aware of his considerable experience in trauma surgery and that must be another great loss to the island.

It troubles me that, as far as I know, there is no one lined up to replace him, with the MSG relying on locums to cover. Anyone having to go though breast-cancer treatment should not be passed from pillar to post by one locum after another.

Mr Scott was obviously not expecting to go, as he has been telling patients, 'see you in February', so it is clear that, despite MSG denials, he has been pushed out of the system. I have heard that he was no longer welcome as he overspent on breast-cancer treatments.

Would the MSG spokesman have the courage to confirm whether this was correct?

Having come to know many people who have been treated for breast cancer through my wife's experience, it would be very highly regrettable if that was the case. As the turnout for the Sunset Walk will testify, many people support the Pink Ladies and when you add in husbands, friends and other relations, there is massive voter power out there to make sure that breast-cancer sufferers do not get pushed to the back of the queue.

The people of Guernsey are rapidly becoming sick to the teeth of all the cover-ups going on in the States, civil service and associated areas and it is high time we were given the transparency we deserve.

We never did get to know why the HSSD boss went and due to the cover-up mentality in the civil service, we probably never will. Perhaps he was the wrong man, or perhaps he was the right man who was stopped from doing his job properly – who knows?

I would, in closing, praise the work of the Pink Ladies in raising the funds for the new breast cancer unit at the PEH. It is a fantastic facility and everyone who has worked to make it what it is has every reason to feel proud.

TREVOR HOCKEY,

Trev's Motorcycles.

Editor's footnote: MSG chairman, Dr Steve Evans, responds: 'Mr Scott has reached the age of 66 years and had already extended a year beyond his retirement date. Any suggestion that he is no longer welcome as he has overspent on breast cancer treatments is totally incorrect.

As your reader alludes, long-term reliance on a succession of locums, or even a part-time resident consultant, would not be appropriate to manage the workload here.

The MSG is therefore pleased to be able to announce that a full-time replacement for Mr Scott has been appointed. Tom Fysh is currently working in Australia, but will be available to take up the post with the MSG on 1 August.

We will need to use the services of one or more locums in the interim, but we are very fortunate to have secured the services of outstanding candidates to date.

The breast surgeon is one element of an exceptionally good breast-care team in Guernsey and all other elements of that team remain unchanged.

Finally, your reader seems to be aligning the management of the MSG with the local civil service, however, we are a separate entity to any States department, so civil servants do not have any involvement in the management of the MSG. The MSG has a contract with the States of Guernsey to provide the best possible secondary healthcare service for the Bailiwick of Guernsey – that is what we are committed to doing and that is what is at the forefront of all decisions taken in the running of our company.'