Formal reprimand for Deputy Gavin St Pier

Thursday, 24 October 2024 at 08:26

Deputy Gavin St Pier has been officially reprimanded by the States Assembly.

It follows a 2022 speech, in which he named Dr Sandie Bohin as one of the clinicians involved in a safeguarding investigation.

During a debate on Wednesday (23 October) Deputy Liam McKenna revealed Dr Bohin's home has been attacked several times since, and she has been off work with stress.

He then read a letter from the British Medical Assciation Committee, that demanded action.

"Professionals are now reluctant to make safeguarding referrals in case they find themselves in the same position as Dr Bohin.

To name a doctor in parliament, with full knowledge of the impact it would have on their professional standing and wellbeing, is reprehensible and without precedent."

Deputy St Pier was judged to have broken the code of conduct for States Members. He appealed, but the decision of the independent panel was upheld.

32 deputies supported the formal reprimand. Three abstained.

In a statement before the reprimand was debated, Dr Steve Evans from the Medical Specialist Group said:

"Deputy St Pier’s conduct was grossly and manifestly unfair to our consultant paediatrician Dr Sandie Bohin. By naming her in the States on 27 April 2022 and by making misleading statements, he caused devastating and unjustified harm to her reputation. He did this knowing that she had no right of reply.

"What this is about is protecting medical professionals, and others, from the risk of being publicly shamed in the States, with no right of reply when they have done nothing wrong."