Sir, – The report from the Medical Protection Society highlights the impact of a “brutal process” on both patient and doctor (“Medical negligence costs among highest in the world”, News, January 31st).
In a long career in medicine, one of the biggest changes for me is the extent to which I look over my shoulder during many consultations.
It is not that I cannot defend my care of patients but the length of time it will take me to defend that care in the event of a complaint means it will dominate my life.
There are a number of proposals reprising similar methods to increase the efficiency of the process over the years. These include pre-action protocols which would help to refine the sometimes rambling allegations. Mediation could reduce costs considerably. Periodic payments would avoid large one-off awards, especially in catastrophic injuries where life expectancy is unpredictable. Any of which would increase efficiency and reduce costs. Changing our approach to medical negligence would impact on the livelihoods of a host of lawyers, doctors, actuaries, investigators and financial advisers, such is the infrastructure that has built up around what has been described as “the Irish malaise”. – Yours, etc,
Dr TOM O’DOWD, MD
Dublin 24.