Doctors play a key role in investigating child abuse

A Royal College of Paediatricians report suggested many doctors had doubts about continuing with the work.

They fear being made scapegoats or being the subject of a malicious complaint. A growing number have had official complaints made against them.

The college has called for urgent action, saying the current situation is damaging to doctors and children.

The college surveyed its 6,000 members, the vast majority of whom have done child protection work.

Formal complaints

It found almost one in seven of those who have taken part in a child abuse investigation have been the subject of a related formal complaint.

A total of 71 doctors said they had been referred to the General Medical Council.

But few complaints were ever upheld. The GMC dismissed all of the complaints it received.

One doctor, who had a complaint against him that was not upheld and who wished to remain anonymous, described the threats against him.

'Extremely upsetting'

He said he had been threatened with a shotgun, received hate mail and been told people would come round and kill his children.

"These things are obviously extremely upsetting and I would be lying if I said it didn't colour your feelings towards undertaking this kind of work," he said.

Of those who have had complaints against them, almost one in three say they are now reluctant to take part in child abuse investigations.

The report says high profile cases have destroyed some doctors hard-earned reputations.

We need a different approach Professor Alan Craft, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Analysis: Child protection furore

Professor Alan Craft, president of the college, said paediatricians were genuinely frightened.

"There is a real possibility paediatricians will not investigate potential injuries or sudden infant death properly," he said.

"We need a different approach. Is it right people should be complaining against doctors who are only doing their job?"

The royal college says some websites give carte blanche to parents to "out" doctors they believe wrongly accused them of harming their children.

'No campaign'

In many cases, it says, the media and family were prepared to go public before judgements were given, and doctors were unable to defend themselves.

Penny Mellor, a campaigner who supported recent high-profile cases including Angela Cannings', said there was no orchestrated campaign against paediatricians:

"There are a real small handful of five paediatricians, that we have concerns about," she said.

"As to the rest of the world of paediatrics, we do not have any concerns with their work."