In the wake of hospital inquiries: impact on staff and safety

Authors: James A Dunbar, Prasuna Reddy, Bill Beresford, Wayne P Ramsey and Reginald S A Lord

Med J Aust 2007; 186 (6): 324-325. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb00920.x
Published online: 19 March 2007

Our article concentrated on how these hospitals recovered, as organisations, to improve patient safety. We called for “open, honest, and timely investigation undertaken within the organisation”, which avoids prolonging the recovery that, paradoxically, can make hospitals less safe.4 In the United Kingdom, the General Medical Council enforces a national system that puts patient safety first and makes covering up for a poorly performing colleague an offence.5,6 It also requires Directors of Medical Services to act in patients’ best interests. Concerns about a colleague’s performance are handled locally, because experience has demonstrated that this works best for patients and doctors.

1. Greater Green Triangle University Department of Rural Health, Flinders and Deakin Universities, Warrnambool, VIC.
2. School of Behavioural Science, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
3. Central Queensland Health Service District, Rockhampton, QLD.
4. ACT Health, Canberra, ACT.
5. University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: director@greaterhealth.org

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Dunbar JA, Reddy P, Beresford B, et al. In the wake of hospital inquiries: impact on staff and safety. Med J Aust 2007; 186: 80-83. 0_CBBHCGAI
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