Summary
This paper from Leung and Porter, published in the BMJ, examines some of the legal issues of apologies and their implications for healthcare professionals.
Content
Key messages
- Apology statements in open disclosure could amount to an admission of fault and liability, be used in court as evidence, and affect professional indemnity coverage.
- Apology statutes aim to encourage apologies by protecting those who make them in this regard, but the degree of protection varies between countries.
- In Great Britain, protection does not seem sufficiently clear or comprehensive, offering doctors little assurance as to the legal consequences of the apologies which are now mandated by statutory duties of candour.
- The law should be clarified to facilitate open disclosure for the benefit of patients, their carers, and healthcare professionals.
Safety of candour: how protected are apologies in open disclosure?
https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l4047.full
0
reactions so far
0 Comments
Recommended Comments
There are no comments to display.
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now