Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE HSE HAS paid out over €832 million on medical negligence cases since 2014, newly released figures show.
Payouts have totalled €108 million for the first five months of 2019.
In the past five years payouts have increased by 365%, jumping from €59 million in 2014 to €215 million in 2018.
Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte, who obtained the figures, said they raise concerns about what the HSE is doing to limit such negligence in the first place, particularly at a time when health spending is spiralling.
“I don’t think the recipients of these payouts are being acquisitive, they undoubtedly deserve this money. Negligent actions can sometimes leave people dealing with issues for years to come and they deserve to be compensated,” she said.
However, she added:
It seems inevitable that with a health system crippled by overcrowding and staff shortages, such cases of negligence will continue. With nurses and doctors under increasing pressures day-to-day, such working conditions are ripe for accidents. The government needs to address this and ensure that staff aren’t being left in positions that leave them more prone to mistakes being made.
The figures show that some hospital groups have paid out more than others, with the South/South West hospital Group paying out the most.
This group includes hospitals such as:
Cork University Hospital and maternity hospital, University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Kerry, Mercy University Hospital, South Tipperary General Hospital, South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, Bantry General Hospital, Mallow General Hospital and Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital in Kilcreene.
These hospitals have paid out more than €200 million since 2014.
Last year, Clinical director of the HSE’s national women and infant health programme, Dr Peter McKenna said preventable brain damage in normally formed infants is the “single biggest risk” in the health service.
He said negligence in maternity cases makes up more than half of the payouts made by the State, adding that the onus is on the health service to investigate as early as possible how these injuries are caused during childbirth.
Earlier this year, Health Minister Simon Harris said all options must be explored in seeking an alternative mechanism for resolving clinical negligence claims, one which is more person-centered, but fair to all parties.
The minister has also indicated that a mandatory open disclosure policy for health workers will be enshrined in law by the end of the year. Open disclosure ensures staff must communicate with patients and their families when things go wrong with their care.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It’s only a matter of time. driving accounts for 30% of male employment worldwide. When vans trucks light rail taxis are driverless there will be an unemployment disaster.
exactly Patrick, rise of the machines technology is not always a good thing.
I don’t think I’d be ready to trust this technology anyway.
Automation has been killing jobs for centuries and will continue to do so for millennia.
As always people will have to adapt and adjust careers accordingly.
Can’t hold back progress.
Do you have a source for that, Patrick?
Those guys can work at something else. This is a great thing. Can’t wait for driverless cars.
Taxi drivers, van drivers, lorry drivers, bus drivers all looking at this and feeling a bit uneasy I’d imagine… on the plus side if it can take me home from the pub on a Friday night it won’t be the worst thing in the world
I look at advancements in technology in my sector and feel the same uneasiness. Can either sit back and do nothing, or look to try and learn new skills.
Who’s going to clean the puke off the seat before you get in.. Or who will wake up the drunk passenger in the back seat.. Self drive taxis may work well in some places but will not work well at 4am on a Saturday night in Dublin..
I would imagine there will be multiple internal cameras. Plus payment will be by card only. If camera catches a passenger damaging the car i.e. Puking…charge to card straight away.
Problem is technology/AI is advancing so quickly it is now replacing humans rather yhan just impeovibg the work place. Imagine the fin hackers will have with automated vehicles!??
Cheer up, planes still have pilots.
By the time the driver realizes that an accident is imminent it is generally too late to grab control. Safe driving requires forward planning and anticipation. You cannot be plunged into an emergency manual override position moments from disaster and expect to avoid it.
There’s many reported cases by Teslas stopping accidents before the driver even realised one was happening. Loads on dash cam vids and accounts on motoring forums. The tech is already saving lives. Given the number of road deaths here and around the world we’d be mad not to pursue this.
have your say