Tonight:
10°c
NHS doctor accused in race case is young Tory
Tim Stewart20.02.09
One of the NHS doctors accused by a black medical student of racism in a £300,000 court claim is a prominent young Conservative.
Richard Pinder, who is a leading member of the Conservative Medical Society which influences Tory policy on health issues, allegedly made racist remarks about black people to Virginia Jibowu while the pair were at King's College medical school.
In legal papers, Ms Jibowu, who is of Nigerian origin, says: "Mr Pinder asked me if black men were less intelligent than other people [and] if black people were more prone to becoming fat.
"He also said that he had stopped contacting a mutual friend because he had become 'too black'."
Dr Pinder - a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital - today said: "I am deeply shocked by these allegations. I strenuously deny acting in an offensive or racist way towards Ms Jibowu."
Another doctor, Emily Bowen, has been accused by Ms Jibowu of suggesting a killer disease be introduced into Africa to wipe out all the blacks.
Ms Jibowu enrolled on the college's six-year extended medical degree course for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in September 2002.
She says that students on her course had to wear a special badge, which led to their being bullied by counterparts on the regular five-year degree programme. King's College and the former students all strenuously deny Ms Jibowu's allegations. Her case is due to be heard later this year.
Ms Jibowu, of South Lambeth, is suing the college at Central London county court for harassment, race discrimination and victimisation. She says that while the students she has accused of racism graduated, the college refused to investigate many of her complaints, deliberately failed her and tried to stop her re-sitting the course. In legal papers submitted to the court, she says: "The college disregarded my complaints and graduated all students complained about.
"All of the alleged racists are now practising as doctors in the NHS."
Ms Jibowu is demanding more than £300,000 for loss of earnings, aggravated damages and injury to health and feelings.
Reader views (13)
Racial prejucice is surely a form of psychosis. Perhaps it is time to start psycologically testing all applicants to medical school to ensure the safty of the general public. It might also be worth testing all registered doctors as some have obviously slipped through the net - as did Shipman.
- Ola, London
I dont' agree with racism or any prejduism at all, it's uncessary and ruins lives.
But this student seems to have played the racism card because she was failed by the college, was offered the re-sit but then kicked of the course for lack of attendence.
People like this student who make ficticious claims of racism are putting back the hard work people put in to getting rid of racism by rising above it and moving on.
I tell you something though, I don't see a black student, I don't see a female student, I don't see a poor student. What I see is someone who is just wanting to be in the lime light, to have some infamy and to make huge claiments of money instead of working hard passing the exmans to become a great successful doctor as many black, asian, chinese and other ethnic and multicultural people have done and still continue to do to this day and many days to come ahead.
- Anonymous Speaker, London
Reading some of the below comments make me very cross. So far, all these are claims made by one student who failed her course. If you go on to read all of her claims, she says things like, ‘they didn’t shop with me or book me a seat near to me on the plane’.
It sounds like a case of paranoia to me. Maybe the college didn’t investigate some of her claims because they were unfounded??
She has failed her exams and so I am pleased she is not going to be a Dr, I would not like a failed student treating me.
Finally, why is she wearing a stethoscope? She is not a Dr! Did she buy it from Toys R Us?
- Alix, London
Shame on you King's College. Also the facts if presented too all, will make you think differently. of the 316 students on the course. 16 failed in total. of the 8 disadvantaged students 100% of them failed. these stats are normal for king's college.
- Chad, Derby
I certainly believe these allegations. I have also experienced this whilst studying at Napier University. I have seen lectures ask students leave their course because they are Asians, and I for one, something similar to the above story happened to me.
Unlike her and because I just wanted to Graduate, knowing taking this further will make the school to fail me, I just shut my mouth. Just because UK has no freedom of speech, especially for immigrants, does not mean that they are not affected. I am not a fun of Robert Mugabe, but no wonder he has so much supporters than Britian thinks, whilst the rest of the world knows. I am sorry but racism is very real in school, work places, hospitals and all over.
- Nomsa Zulu, Edinburgh
When i first heard about this story i thought it was a joke. I find it incredibly amazing how this has made national news. Being of ethnic origin myself, being in the same year as both these individuals at Kings i find these completeley baseless. Having known Richard, i feel strongly that these allegations are untrue and these have the potential to cause serious hurt and highlights the fact that we all too easily find sympathy with a victim reading only one side of the story. Having been a student at Kings there are always people you won't like and get on with, thats called life, you can't force people too eat with you. In addition there are people who are not safe to be doctors despite being at medical school for years and undoubtedly given the diversity of students at kings a significant number of these will be of ethnic origin. People play the race card far too easily and causes me concern that this actually hinders those who really are affectd. It really is a sad state of affairs. Shame on you Virginia.
- Anonymous, London
I am no sucker for hard luck stories, but much of what is said here rings true.
I attended London University and was a member of the OTC for three years. I came across much casual racism directed at black poeple by other students from privileged backgrounds. Some were unbelievably hateful in their attitudes, although when challenged they would always claim to be "joking".
I have seen far too many posh upper class types who display the nastiest attitudes to simply dismiss it all as "sour grapes".
People in England are far too glib about dismissing complainst about racism and patting themselves on teh back about how tolerant they are - yet you should hear the squeals when they are not tretaed with due reverence up here - or in Canada, America, Australia, or other places where mother England isn't top of the popularity polls.
Oh, and just for the record I am an anglo-Scot who spoke with a scouse accent for the first six years of his life, and recieved dogs abuse as a consequence - so spare me the "ungrateful Jocks" rants if you please.
Try and put yourselves in her shoes for a minute - just for a minute - and see if you can honsetly say without a single flicker of doubt entering your mind that what she is saying cannot have any foundation in reality.
Go on See if youcan do it. the re-read the original article.
- Andrew, Edinburgh
It beats paying £1 every week for a loto ticket
- Andy, sussex
Sounds like baseless allegations to me.
- Ian, Carlisle, Cumbria
How young is Medical School taking students these days? He looks about twelve!
- Marianne, SW France
Looks to me as though she's more than happy to be photographed with a racist!
- Denise, London UK
It is no surprise to me that the NHS is now at the for front of new race allegations. I personally have come to terms with the idea that we live in a institutional racist society.
Furthermore if the allegations of racist conduct are found against Dr Richard Pinder and Dr Emily Bowen I hope they are struck off. It is becoming more evident that racist outbursts amongst certain people in prominient positions in the U.K is a accetable practice.
- Julian Harris, London
If she had done her work and passed her exams then would she still be complaining? Whilst she’s wasting her time moaning, her counterparts have moved on and are establishing their medical careers.
What about the Asian students? Are you telling me none of them experienced the same plight?
Why is it that some races are quick to play the “race card” when they’re probably not good enough to make the grade…
Britain has been good to minorities and it is time they started to acknowledge that!
- Joyce Jerome, London
