This award meant a great deal
to Will and Diane when they received it. Until then they had been
subjected to many crude psychological attempts to divert them. Some
from unexpected and hurtful quarters. This ranged from being felt to
be 'bad people' for wanting to know the truth about Robbie's easily
avoided death all the way through to being ostracised by people who
knew better but acted as if they did not.
Some went as far as hinting that Mr and Mrs Powell's efforts were
based on spite and other purely destructive motives. Incredibly
there was more than a hint of inexplicable jealousy from some
quarters. Why? It is doubtful that the people who acted toward them
in this manner could coherently explain their own stance let alone
anybody else explain it for them.
In 1990 society held some, for us now, quaint and even then outdated
beliefs. You should 'know your place' in society whatever that meant
and not challenge your 'betters' even if your 'betters' were proven
to be odious liars. Vestiges of this attitude persist in backwaters
to this day, but it was more widespread then.
It did not stop there. The very doctors whose gross incompetence
caused Robbie's death displayed libellous posters in their three
local surgeries about the Powells public allegations in a
"Wales This Week" documentary in 1992 stating that the doctors had not only
been negligent but had also been dishonest. The offending posters
claimed that the Powells had distorted the truth and that some of
their allegations belonged in the realms of fantasy. The attempts to
divert Will Powell had now become overt persecution.
Although the offensive posters were removed when challenged, it
resulted in one of the longest running libel cases in British
history, which was settled out of court in favour of the Powells in
2005.
Nothing could have been further from the truth insofar as their
intent. But is was clearly very difficult to bear such outrageous
twisting of facts, their intentions, and being subjected to public libel. We personally did
not get to know Will until many years later, but we have witnessed
the vestiges of uniformed attempts to apply unwarranted pressure.
Back then the pressure must have been a terrible burden. And applied
for one reason only. To protect the reputation of people who thought
their careers were far more important than an innocent child's life.
That is why this award was an important event. For all of us it
vindicated their efforts to bring in a new way of openness and
honesty. For Will and Diane it was a proper recognition of their
true intent and effort to seek Robbie's Law [a Duty of Candour for
the medical profession]. For more information about Robbie's Law and the petition please click on this
link
▶ Robbie's Law ◀
NHS Justice Group