"The practice in the past, so the material indicates to me, of simply announcing what the decision was and going no further, had been the subject of some criticism and, in my view, justifiable criticism. So the Board adopted a view which was at variance with the previous practice and has in more recent times adopted the course of explaining the reason why it reached its decision. [I interpolate that there was evidence that criticisms by the Ombudsman had led the Board to explain its decisions.] It is my opinion that in doing so the Board is quite clearly exercising the power and authority given to it under the Act and is acting responsibly and in the best interests of the public which it is trying to protect or has the charge of protecting under the Act. It is clearly the duty of the Board to set out the reasons why, in particular, when a complaint has been made and the Board has decided not to take any action about it of disciplinary nature against the medical practitioner concerned, to explain to the complainant and to all those who might have some interest in the subject, why it reached the decision it did. To my reading of the minute and the letters, they are saying no more in the ultimate than: the language which had been employed by Mr Mann, whilst not amounting to professional misconduct, was language which could have been improved upon; it was intemperate - and the Board's words in his action approaching the client was `imprudent' but actually printed and sent was `impudent'. The Board's conclusion that it did not amount to professional misconduct or unprofessional conduct was a conclusion which was justified, in my view, in the circumstances. But it was also justifiable in the circumstances that the Board should note that the exchange between Bailey and Mann deteriorated as time went by, as is demonstrated more clearly by reading the correspondence, than any words of mine can describe. It is there for all to see and that is why I have set it out at such considerable length. It was germane, in my view, to the Board's function that its reasoning path should be explained, particularly to the complainant and particularly, in circumstances where the Board expresses itself, to be able to understand why it was that Mr Bailey became `aggrieved' in the circumstances. Whilst the Board could understand his aggrievement it was germane, in my view, for them to point out that their authority was to impose disciplinary action for unprofessional conduct and the choice of words, whilst regrettable, are not choice of words that they would have recommended, was that Mr Mann's way of expressing himself. It was a way that they did not commend and did not enhance the reputation of its profession. This seems to me to be a wholly acceptable line of conduct on the part of the Board and for that reason and in conformity with the test as set out in the judgment of the President in this case, it was in my view, quite clearly an occasion covered by a qualified privilege."