Criminalisation of unintentional error in healthcare in the UK: a perspective from New Zealand. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

Criminalisation of unintentional error in healthcare in the UK: a perspective from New Zealand. | AHRQ Patient Safety Network

• Commentary
 
• Published March 2019

Criminalisation of unintentional error in healthcare in the UK: a perspective from New Zealand.

Ameratunga R, Klonin H, Vaughan J, Merry A, Cusack J. BMJ. 2019;364:l706.

Recent high-profile incidents in the United States and the United Kingdom have fueled debate on the impact of criminalizing medical mistakes that result in patient harm. This article compares how the United Kingdom and New Zealand respond when patients experience unintentional health care–related harm. The authors emphasize the importance of focusing on resolution and learning to improve patient safety.

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