A Medical Protection Society survey has shown that, nine in ten SA doctors believe healthcare professionals must be able to admit errors, apologise and learn from mistakes without fear of blame.
Nine in ten doctors think learning without blame is key to improving patient safety. Stock imageNine in ten SA doctors believe healthcare professionals must be able to admit errors, apologise and learn from mistakes without fear of blame, regulatory action or criminal charges in the event of an adverse incident with a patient.
The organisation said fear of blame, regulatory action or even criminal charges after an adverse incident are a barrier to open disclosure “which must be broken down”. “If an error does occur, the practice of open disclosure should mean the patient or their family is told, usually by the treating clinician, and receives a sincere apology and full explanation. This process also enables lessons to be learnt to avoid a reoccurrence.“A culture of fear and blame across the healthcare community is, however, a barrier to open disclosure and to a more open and learning environment being embraced.
Earlier this year, when SA was battling its second wave of Covid-19 infections, the body urged government to introduce Covid-19 disaster legislation to protect healthcare professionals from legal challenges relating to clinical resourcing decisions they might have to make. “Our risk-prevention programme equips members with resources and training to combat the common causes of complaints and claims, including through improved communication.”
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