MPS Column
Prosecuting healthcare professionals for culpable homicide – who benefits?
January 22nd, 2020 Graham Howarth and Tony Behrman - Photo credits - MPS Medical Protection's Graham Howarth, head of medical services (SA) and Tony Behrman, business consultant write: The recent arrest of colleagues on charges of culpable homicide have...
The beauty of mediation to ease the trauma of medical negligence litigation
December 4th, 2019 Clinical negligence claims are stressful, costly and time consuming. Moves towards mediation instead of litigation are to be welcomed, writes Dr Tony Behrman, medico-legal business consultant at Medical Protection (MPS). Behrman writes:...The risks and hazards of social media for doctors
November 20th, 2019 Dr Graham Howarth, head of medical services, Africa, at Medical Protection looks at best practice where social media is concerned. Howarth writes: The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) recently introduced Ethical Guidelines...
We all have a role in tackling the burnout endemic
October 16th, 2019 Burnout, recently recognised by the World Health Organisation as a syndrome brought about by chronic workplace stress, is reaching epidemic levels, writes Graham Howarth, head of medical services, at Medical Protection Society (MPS) South...
State doctors need protection more than ever, including from the state
September 25th, 2019 Not only does the State want to lessen its negligence claims burden by now trying to shed its traditional legal responsibility to indemnify its employees, writes Dr Tony Behrman. But State employed practitioners also face a significant...
Tolerating error in an imperfect system
August 7th, 2019 It is time to acknowledge that the healthcare system in South Africa is under unprecedented strain and that doctors should not be held solely responsible for errors occurring in these difficult environments, writes Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, education...
NHI Bill needs to address indemnity for both doctors and patients
July 10th, 2019 The current draft Bill that limits State compensation in medical negligence cases leaves unclear matters that are important to both practitioners and patients, writes Tony Behrman, consultant to MPS. Behrman writes: From when it was first...
Spiralling litigation: Time to strike a balance
June 12th, 2019 Practising in an increasingly litigious society makes for challenging times for medical practitioners, writes Tony Behrman, Medical Protection Society consultant. MPS has made concrete proposals to address the crisis. Behrman writes: As South...Power outages. A medical practitioners' perspective
May 8th, 2019 Since January 2019 over 60% of all major incidents reported in a large chain of national hospitals were related to power outages. MPS business consultant Tony Behrman sketches the legal implications to practitioners of outages. Behrman...Understanding the medico-legal landscape in South Africa
April 3rd, 2019 Medical Protection took to the road recently to speak to members face-to-face on a range of topics pertinent to their practice in South Africa. Tony Behrman provides a round-up of the key talking points. Behrman writes: Many members in South...The legal permutations of being a Good Samaritan
March 13th, 2019 SA doctors have a constitutional duty of care, writes Dr Tony Behrman, consultant for the Medical Protection Society. But unlike some countries where if they provide emergency aid, Good Samaritan legislation protects doctors from subsequent...Covering for your colleagues. Responsibility reconfirmed
February 6th, 2019 Dr Tony Behrman, medical business consultant at Medical Protection writes that a recent case heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal SCA 529/2017 has highlighted a doctor’s responsibilities when covering for a colleague. Dr Behrman writes: In...