SAMA Conference: Decriminilising Medical Error. South Africa’s low threshold to charge for errors.
Medical ERROR: By definition a medical error occurs when a healthcare worker FOLLOWS reasonable evidence based treatment protocols but the patient experiences a negative outcome DUE TO a failure in the delivery, processing or system(s) that was used to provide the reasonable treatment. #FollowedTheScience #SomethingWentWromg
Medical NEGLIGENCE: By definition medical negligence occurs when a healthcare worker does NOT follow reasonable evidence based treatment protocols and/or BEHAVE in a responsible manner as the healthcare worker responsible for their patient and AS A RESULT the patient experiences a negative outcome.
#DidNotFollowTheScience #DidNotCaptainTheirShip
Medical negligence vs GROSS negligence.
(The legal studies and interpretation has already been done and passed in other countries.)
#GrossIsACrime #TheRestIsCivil
What is the meaning of GROSS negligence?
Gross negligence can be described as a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which has or is likely to cause foreseeable grave injury or harm to persons, property or both. It is conduct that is extreme when compared to ordinary negligence.
#LearnFromTheRest #StudyTheMistakes
What do you need to prove gross negligence?
When such carelessness becomes blatant disregard of the standard of care, knowing that such disregard can cause grave injury or harm, or the act of carelessness has resulted in severe loss or damage, then you are dealing with a case of gross negligence.
A message from Dr Graham Howarth - MPS
The South African Medical Association