This is something I have blogged about on NHS Exposed, and here, here as well, and here
WalesOnline CAMPAIGNERS will today call for the introduction of “Robbie’s Law” to inform parents and loved ones about medical mistakes.
Action against Medical Mistakes (AvMA) wants to see a duty of candour introduced for all health professionals and managers.
This would make it a legal requirement to inform patients, or their next of kin, if there has been an error or incident in a patient’s healthcare which has, or may, cause harm.
The 10-year-old from Ystradgynlais in the Swansea Valley died in 1990 after a series of GPs and doctors failed to spot a chronic, but treatable, adrenal gland condition – Addison’s disease.
AvMA said it wants the proposed new law to be known as Robbie’s Law, in memory of Robbie and his parents efforts to learn the truth about why their son died.
The family has also been campaigning for steps to be taken to ensure injured patients or their next of kin have to be told about any errors or incidents which may cause harm.
Robbie’s case highlighted the absence of a legal duty of candour, and continues to symbolise its need, AvMA said.
Robbie’s father Will said: “Until doctors have a legal duty to tell the truth following an adverse clinical incident, the NHS complaints procedures and civil litigation will be compromised, as will patient safety.
“Robbie’s Law would ensure that the patient or relatives would know the truth about what goes wrong and lessons would be learned in the hope the same mistakes would not be repeated.
“That is all that most people affected by medical mistakes want.”
And Peter Walsh, chief executive of AvMA, said: “It is a disgrace that it is not illegal for a health professional or manager to cover up errors in healthcare in the UK.
“Other countries have made this illegal and in 2003 [Sir Liam Donaldson] the chief medical officer formally recommended such a law in his report Making Amends.
“The Government has never been able to justify ignoring this recommendation.
“The adoption of a legal duty of candour – Robbie’s Law – would send the clearest possible message that the culture of denial, which the Government accepts exists in the NHS, will not be tolerated, and will reinforce the drive to improve patient safety.”
In the latest development in the long-running case, AvMA won a legal challenge in February against a decision by the General Medical Council not to investigate Robbie’s death.
Mr Powell had asked the GMC to investigate in 2003, believing there was a “cover-up” by doctors who had allegedly falsified documents to convince others of their competence.
The GMC had told the family, in May 2008, that this would not be possible because the events surrounding Robbie’s death took place more than five years before the allegations were brought to its attention.
I would just like to wish Will Powell and his family the best of luck in their campaign.
“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” Dale Carnegie
Angus
Angus Dei on all and sundry
NHS Behind the headlines
Angus Dei politico
WalesOnline CAMPAIGNERS will today call for the introduction of “Robbie’s Law” to inform parents and loved ones about medical mistakes.
Action against Medical Mistakes (AvMA) wants to see a duty of candour introduced for all health professionals and managers.
This would make it a legal requirement to inform patients, or their next of kin, if there has been an error or incident in a patient’s healthcare which has, or may, cause harm.
The 10-year-old from Ystradgynlais in the Swansea Valley died in 1990 after a series of GPs and doctors failed to spot a chronic, but treatable, adrenal gland condition – Addison’s disease.
AvMA said it wants the proposed new law to be known as Robbie’s Law, in memory of Robbie and his parents efforts to learn the truth about why their son died.
The family has also been campaigning for steps to be taken to ensure injured patients or their next of kin have to be told about any errors or incidents which may cause harm.
Robbie’s case highlighted the absence of a legal duty of candour, and continues to symbolise its need, AvMA said.
Robbie’s father Will said: “Until doctors have a legal duty to tell the truth following an adverse clinical incident, the NHS complaints procedures and civil litigation will be compromised, as will patient safety.
“Robbie’s Law would ensure that the patient or relatives would know the truth about what goes wrong and lessons would be learned in the hope the same mistakes would not be repeated.
“That is all that most people affected by medical mistakes want.”
And Peter Walsh, chief executive of AvMA, said: “It is a disgrace that it is not illegal for a health professional or manager to cover up errors in healthcare in the UK.
“Other countries have made this illegal and in 2003 [Sir Liam Donaldson] the chief medical officer formally recommended such a law in his report Making Amends.
“The Government has never been able to justify ignoring this recommendation.
“The adoption of a legal duty of candour – Robbie’s Law – would send the clearest possible message that the culture of denial, which the Government accepts exists in the NHS, will not be tolerated, and will reinforce the drive to improve patient safety.”
In the latest development in the long-running case, AvMA won a legal challenge in February against a decision by the General Medical Council not to investigate Robbie’s death.
Mr Powell had asked the GMC to investigate in 2003, believing there was a “cover-up” by doctors who had allegedly falsified documents to convince others of their competence.
The GMC had told the family, in May 2008, that this would not be possible because the events surrounding Robbie’s death took place more than five years before the allegations were brought to its attention.
I would just like to wish Will Powell and his family the best of luck in their campaign.
“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” Dale Carnegie
Angus
Angus Dei on all and sundry
NHS Behind the headlines
Angus Dei politico
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