TOP well being officers lovebombed lockdown-busting chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood with gushing tributes after she stop in shame.
Deputy Sir Gregor Smith vowed his “everlasting respect” for his shamed boss whereas others hailed her “legacy” in newly launched WhatsApp texts.
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One other colleague hailed her as a “function mannequin” within the group chat hours after we uncovered her 44-mile journey to her plush vacation dwelling in breach of tight restrictions on the peak of the well being emergency.
Then-First Minister Nicola Sturgeon initally defended her shut adviser over the jaunt to Earlsferry, Fife earlier than she stepped down on.
And newly seen messages present how high-ranking civil servants rallied behind the ousted chief of their ‘Skilled Adviser’ WhatsApp group — starting at 11.13pm, six minutes after they had been knowledgeable of her resignation.
Senior medical officer Dr Andrew Riley started: “I’m so very sorry to listen to that Catherine and wish to take this chance to want you and your loved ones all the most effective throughout these very tough occasions. Keep sturdy.”
Deputy chief nurse Diane Murray agreed at 11.19pm: “Pricey Catherine, nice thanks for all of your laborious work and management through the years and particularly throughout this disaster. Take care.”
Senior adviser John Harden, later promoted to deputy nationwide scientific director beneath Jason Leitch, then chipped in: “I’m so sorry to listen to that Catherine. Finest needs to you and your loved ones and thanks to your management.”
Alison Strath, later promoted to chief pharmaceutical officer throughout Humza Yousaf’s stint as First Minister, stated at 11.21pm: “I’m so very sorry to learn this Catherine – I’m very unhappy that you’ve felt this was your solely choice though I fully respect and perceive your choice.
“You will have all the time been a job mannequin to me and others and a form and provoking chief and I’m privileged to have labored as a part of your time. I’ll miss you X.”
Medical adviser Graham Ellis thanked Dr Calderwood for her “laborious work and management” at 11.27pm.
One other official, whose identify is redacted, posted two minutes later: “Be form to yourself- it will cross.”
Senior medical officer Corrine Love instructed of her unhappiness at 11.54pm. She wrote: “Actually sorry to listen to this. Your management has been wonderful and provoking.
Take cate [sic] of your self and your loved ones.”
The present of help might be revealed after The Scottish Solar on Sunday revealed high-profile UK pandemic chiefs together with Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam urged Dr Calderwood to remain on within the wake of the scandal.
Bombshell WhatsApps reveal ‘one other betrayal’
DISGRACED high physician Catherine Calderwood boasted she would attempt to “experience out” the storm over her notorious lockdown breach in a chummy WhatsApp chat with UK colleagues, we revealed yesterday.
The previous chief medical officer was caught illegally visiting her vacation pad in Earlsferry, Fife, twice in 2020 whereas fronting Covid advertisements telling Scots to remain at dwelling.
Maggie Waterton, whose mum and husband died within the pandemic, known as it “one other betrayal of belief”.
Britain’s pandemic chiefs secretly rallied behind Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer after she flouted lockdown legal guidelines, The Scottish Solar can reveal.
Family names together with Chris Whitty and Jonathan Van Tam urged Dr Catherine Calderwood, 55, to not resign after we uncovered her go to to her vacation dwelling on the peak of the Covid disaster in April 2020.
The highest medics even attacked our unique about her 44-mile jaunt to Earlsferry, Fife — which got here as she fronted telly TV adverts ordering the general public to “Keep dwelling, shield Scotland’s NHS and save lives”.
Sensational WhatsApp messages additionally reveal Dr Calderwood boasting to fellow CMOs she’d “attempt to experience it out” as she confronted calls to stop.
A timestamp means that she despatched that textual content whereas standing beside then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in a dramatic TV media briefing.
However we will reveal the disgraced CMO was backed by her counterparts in the remainder of the UK regardless of the details of the story being identified since 9.45pm on Saturday, April 4, when our story went on-line.
The next morning, Dr Calderwood texted a WhatsApp group of senior medical advisers with a hyperlink to a follow-up of our story.
They included Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, and his deputies on the time, Jonathan Van-Tam and Jenny Harries.
Northern Eire’s CMO Michael McBride and Frank Atherton, from Wales, had been additionally within the chat group.
On Sunday, April 5, at 11.51am, Dr Calderwood texted: “All — to remember. I had a couple of hours off however this was clearly an error of judgement. I’m issuing an apology now.”
Dr Atherton blasted the story at 12.45pm, saying: “Noticed that earlier; worst of tabloid journalism. Don’t allow them to get to you.”
At 1.16pm, Professor Whitty replied to the assault on our story, telling Dr Atherton: “Agree.”
At 1.28pm, Professor Van-Tam wrote: “I discover it deeply dispiriting to listen to of those sorts of issues. You’re doing a incredible job.”
However it seems Dr Calderwood texted the group whereas she and Ms Sturgeon had been being grilled about her lockdown breach.
Throughout the 38-minute TV briefing, beginning at 2.33pm on the Sunday, she stood at a lectern subsequent to Ms Sturgeon after which Well being Secretary Jeane Freeman.
And in a WhatsApp that seems to have been despatched at 3.05pm — earlier than the briefing ended — Dr Calderwood admitted: “It’s not good. Requires me to resign. I’ll attempt to experience it out.”
However by 6.22pm, she gave the impression to be reluctantly accepting her destiny, telling the CMOs: “I could not handle to outlive it I’m afraid.”
Dr Calderwood then despatched her ultimate message to that group at 9.40pm.
However this was blanked out in a launched transcript.
Her resignation was introduced by the Scottish Authorities at 9.54pm.
One other un-named official provides at 6.49am the following morning that Dr Calderwood “will probably be missed”.
Then, at 8.30am, Sir Gregor issued a 131-word tribute to the lady he would exchange.
He instructed colleagues he had been “privileged” as her deputy, including: “I instructed her final evening this has been the most effective, most pleasing interval of my profession.”
The distinguished civil servant continued: “We’ve labored laborious collectively and effectively collectively and she or he has my everlasting respect for what she has achieved as an outstanding CMO.
“At this time will probably be about remembering that but additionally making certain we keep centered and never distracted. We owe it to Catherine to see this by.”
Adviser Mike Gillies texted at 8.49am: “Very sorry to listen to this Catherine.”
Ms McQueen added at 9.12am: “I’ll miss Catherine and am unhappy right now — Catherine thanks for being you – you’ve gotten left us a legacy that may be constructed on going forwards.”
Learn extra on the Scottish Solar
Senior medical adviser John Colvin rounded off the tributes at 9.28am.
He stated: “You will have constructed a legacy in your time as CMO — we want sensible drugs and compassion greater than ever at this tough time.”
