Medical Negligence
MRSA and Ireland’s Euro Health Consumer Index score
In 2006 the Euro Health Consumer Index put Ireland second from the bottom in a ranking of European states on the delivery of health care to its citizens. Was this a Pass mark for Ireland? Ireland subscribes to the concept of failure and applies it to its citizens in, for instance the Leaving Certificate examination now underway. What of Ireland’s health care system? How do we know if it is failing? More correctly, how do we know that Ireland has […]
MRSA Conference
The MRSA & Families Network have organised a conference entitled, âMRSA: What is it costing us?â? to be held on 19TH JUNE 2007 at the Emmett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, from 9.30 am to 4.40 pm.
Medical Negligence – Defence
The Medical Defence Union (âMDUâ?) is very old. Founded in 1885, it currently defends its members in litigation, usually against claims based in negligence. However, it is not limited to defending only such claims and defends the interests of its members. Very early on in its history this extended to funding the defence of an officer in a libel action. See the earlier posting on the MDU HERE and HERE. Given the narrow range of bodies from which medical practitioners […]
Medical Negligence – Adversaries
A courtroom trial in Ireland (and other Common Law jurisdictions) is an adversarial process.
Professionals
A professional person, be it doctor, lawyer, architect, engineer or quantity surveyor is not an insurer.
MRSA and friend
Galwayâs drinking water, supposedly, has been compromised by Cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis is a disease caused by a parasite, a Scheduled biological agent under the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations (S.I. No. 707 of 2003) and Safety, Health And Welfare At Work (Biological Agents) (Amendment) Regulations, 1998 (S.I. No. 248/1998). It shares this status with, inter alia, Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus, in its evolved form of âMethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureusâ? is known as MRSA. The Cryptosporidiosis cases are said to be […]
MDU – More revelations
We have written elsewhere about the Medical Defence Union and the cover it may or may not give to a member in the event of a judgment against the member for professional negligence. It appears in Australia, a professional is obliged to insure him or herself (ie, membership of something like MDU is not sufficient). Furthermore, MDU is in a postion to offer insurance. In such a case it will be unable to deny indemnity on the basis of the […]
Medical Negligence – Obstetrics
The practice of obstetrics is somewhat different to other medical specialities in that the “patients”, the mother and baby, are healthy when they come under the care of the specialist. (This may not be strictly accurate; it is estimated that about 1% of babies have some form of defect). Nevertheless, the specialist is answerable for any error of medical management in the care of one or both of the patients. See here. There is a strong body of opinion that […]
Cleanliness & Godliness
The Mater Hospital in Dublin is one of the cityâs major hospitals. It is the designated site for the new âworld classâ? childrenâs hospital [and an adult hospital adjoining]. It has apologised to a former patient who stayed in the hospital last May. It apologised for âany incidents of sub-standard hygieneâ? she may have experienced. Her experience was: a) The hospital was filthy; b) There was urine on the floor of the toilets; c) Excrement was stuck to the sides […]
Wringing and Washing of hands
The Minister for Health and Children is anxious that the Health Executive should achieve a reduction in nosocomial infections in Irish hospitals in the immediate future. The principle infection in mind (although not the most difficult) is MRSA. What’s the solution? Hand washing. (Hygiene actually). The methods of ensuring compliance with hand washing protocols will probably vary from place to place but the job is not impossible. In any event, employees of hospitals are entitled in law to safe places […]