The parents of a tragic doctor who committed suicide while working at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital have made public her last words in an attempt to inspire future healthcare practitioners. Following feelings of “put downs” at work, Dr. Vaishnavi Kumar committed suicide.
The 35-year-old junior physician consumed a lethal medicinal mix. It was revealed at her inquest in November that she waited more than three hours to call for an ambulance until dying on June 22 of last year at City Hospital.
⭐️ Dr Vaishnavi Kumar is a Diabetes & Endocrinology SpR whose passion for medicine & commitment inspires many. She has been commended for her ability to unite teams, support to junior colleagues & dedication to patient care ⭐️ (14/14) pic.twitter.com/YuwPvKGCvE
— Sarah Faloon (@scfaloon) June 17, 2020
But just before she passed away, Vaishnavi Kumar sent her mother a heartbreaking note in which she revealed how working at the QE had negatively impacted her mental health. She described herself as “now a nervous wreck.”
The note, which was not read aloud during the inquest by a Birmingham coroner, concluded, “I am sorry mum, I can put the whole thing on the QEH.” Her father, Dr. Ravi Kumar, stated that he thought the QE had “destroyed” his daughter.
She “must have had a significant amount of bullying and stress,” he continued. “Otherwise, she is not the girl who would have done this.” “People who did this have caused a great deal of harm, and that enrages me.”
Other physicians who Vaishnavi assisted with their suicidal thoughts contacted Dr. Kumar, according to him. “Junior physicians are being harmed. If you improve their quality of life and provide a better working environment, they will develop into better doctors. Please lend a hand “he stated.
Three different external reviews are now being conducted on University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB), which manages the QE hospital. It comes after allegations that employees claim there is a “climate of fear” at work.
“As a friend, colleague, and doctor who gave her patients the best care and attention, Dr. Vaishnavi Kumar was a kind, loving, well-respected, and much cherished individual.