LONDON - A hospital has had to cancel operations after a surgeon was suspended in a dispute over a bowl of soup in the staff cafeteria. Dr Terence Hope, 57, a leading expert in vascular neurosurgery, was suspended March 18 after "allegations about his personal conduct," according to Queen's Medical Centre in the central English city of Nottingham. Surgery on three patients was cancelled Monday. The DailyMail tabloid reported Monday that Hope had been accused of taking an extra serving of soup without paying. He reportedly said he had just been getting some more croutons.

The hospital has refused comment, saying disciplinary procedures are confidential. A spokeswoman said Hope had been due to operate Monday on three patients, but none of the cases was urgent and their surgery was postponed.

The government has refused to intervene, saying Hope is employed by the hospital, not the Department of Health. "It is their responsibility to deal with this particular issue," Health Minister Lord Warner told the House of Lords on Monday. The DailyMail reported that Hope, who earns the equivalent of 1.2 million yuan a year, had been suspended on full pay.
 
 
 
 

　　伦敦:当一名外科医生在单位食堂里因一碗汤的争执而被停业后,该医院不得不停止了手术。57岁的泰伦斯·霍普医生是血管神经手术的首席专家。据英格兰中部诺丁汉市女王医疗中心所言"据说是因其个人行为",他于3月18日被停业,而本周一三名病人的手术也就被取消了。小报《每日邮报》于本周一报道说霍普被控多拿了一份汤而没有付钱,而他自己则说只是多拿了几块儿作为汤料的面包小块。

　　医院拒绝对此做出评论,并说这一问题的处理过程是机密的。一位女发言人说霍普原计划在周一给三个病人做手术,但这些手术都不是紧急性的,因而被推迟了。

　　政府拒绝插手此事,说霍普是受雇于医院,而不是受雇于卫生部。"处理这一问题是医院的责任。"卫生部长洛德·华纳于本周一对英国上议院说道。《每日邮报》说年薪合120万元人民币的霍普的全薪已被停发。