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MPS Column
Load shedding a threat to patients' safety, say doctors
Load shedding, introduced in South Africa 15 years ago, continues to create serious challenges for the medical profession, write Dr Volker Hitzeroth, medico-legal consultant,...
Survey highlights mental well-being of SA doctors
Healthcare practitioners in South Africa are facing a myriad challenges, writes Dr Volker Hitzeroth, medico-legal consultant, Medical Protection Society.
He writes:
Many are becoming increasingly exhausted,...
Doctors' indemnity unclear in NHI Bill
While the NHI Bill is being widely dissected nationwide, little mention has been made of indemnity and insurance arrangements, writes Dr Graham Howarth, Medical...
Why it's important to update personal details with the HPCSA
It is critical to keep the HPCSA updated on changes to contact details, especially email addresses, writes Dr Yash Naidoo, case manager at Medical...
HPCSA amendments offer hope
Reforming the HPCSA’s professional conduct inquiry process could benefit the mental well-being for practitioners involved, writes Dr Yash Naidoo, case manager at Medical Protection...
Alternative approaches could lessen HPCSA delays and mental stress
The inevitable stress and anxiety of an investigation by the HPCSA can be lessened, or at least reduced, with a different approach, subtler notification...
Court sets aside complaint after HPCSA's long delay in handling case
A ‘tale of institutional inefficiency, demonstrating the traumatic and adverse prejudicial impact on the well-being of a professional medical practitioner accused of unproven misconduct’...
'Pantsula' doctor video spotlights HSPCA role and social media perils
Dr Yash Naidoo, case manager at Medical Protection, explains the risks of inappropriate attire, the unintended consequences of social media trends – and HPCSA...
What the law requires after procedure-related deaths
The nuances of procedure-related deaths, and the knowledge and application of the law linked to these, is poor in South Africa, says Dr Graham...
Load shedding: managing medico-legal risk under Stage 6
Dr Tony Behrman, medicolegal and business consultant at Medical Protection Society (MPS), has previously warned about the potential difficulties we may face from ever...
Off-label prescribing: caveat venditor
In an ideal world, medication would only be prescribed within the strict confines as set out in the particular medication’s registration and as briefly...
Clinical report writing – tips and common pitfalls
In the second article following MPS’ 15th Ethics For All conference, Dr Shivani Chirkut, medico-legal consultant for Medical Protection Society (MPS), highlights some top...
How to navigate medico-legal matters in healthcare practice
Last month MPS celebrated 15 years of its flagship ‘Ethics For All’ conference in South Africa. During this year’s webinar for healthcare professionals, Dr...
Badmouthing colleagues unethical and risks healthcare reputational damage
As an organisation that has been working for South African doctors for 65 years, and which supports more than 31 000 members in the...
Reassurance during uncertain times for doctors
By now readers will be well aware that Constantia Insurance Company Limited (CICL) is to be liquidated, a development which will have a significant...
Understanding why and how to manage patients' expectations
Many factors contribute to the risk of complaints and claims – both before and after the event – and Medical Protection Society (MPS) will...
Load shedding: the doctor is out (of electricity)
Dr Tony Behrman, Medico-legal and Business Consultant at Medical Protection Society (MPS), reminds healthcare professionals of their obligations regarding the country’s increasing power outages.
Dr...
How to manage frustration from working in resource-constrained institutions
All clinicians work in an environment that is resource-constrained in some way. However, recent press coverage has alluded to deteriorating conditions in state health...
Seeking clarity from HPCSA on telehealth
The prevalence of telehealth has increased markedly in the past two years. It is no surprise that healthcare professionals want clarity on the rules...
The need for medico-legal reform: A welcome chance to speak up
Medical Protection Society (MPS) recently submitted comments in response to the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) ‘Discussion Paper 154 – Project 141: Medico-Legal...
HPCSA fines – who pays?
Dr Yash Naidoo, case manager at Medical Protection, answers the oft-asked question of who is responsible for paying the fine when a practitioner is...
Social media complaints and how to deal with them
Dr Yash Naidoo, Case Manager at Medical Protection, provides guidance on the best way to respond to complaints on social media.
Naidoo writes:
Social media is...
Difficult interactions with colleagues
During Medical Protection Society’s recent Ethics For All conference, Dr Julia Ambler gave a presentation on handling difficult interactions with colleagues. Here she outlines...
Looking through the prism of human suffering to cultivate a flourishing life
As 2021 draws to a close some of us will be contemplating the future that awaits us and our loved ones. The past two...
Journey of a complaint
Speaking at Medical Protection’s annual flagship conference – Ethics For All 2021: Healthcare Practitioners Conference – this week, Dr Yash Naidoo discusses the nature...
Coming into line with international practice on criminalisation of doctors
Dr Graham Howarth, Head of Medical Services, Africa at Medical Protection questions South Africa’s criminalisation of doctors and why the country is out of...
Myths and misconceptions about State indemnity
Dr Graham Howarth, Head of Medical Services – Africa for Medical Protection, explains the nitty-gritty of State indemnity, and its inadequacies.
Dr Howarth writes:
There appears...
Coping with power outages – advice for healthcare professionals
Dr Tony Behrman, Medicolegal Business Consultant for Medical Protection, writes on the challenges of load shedding for South African healthcare professionals.
Dr Behrman writes:
By now...
Ivermectin: The legal pitfalls facing a prescribing practitioner
A medical practitioner who prescribes Ivermectin to a patient takes on a considerable legal liability, including the possibility of legal censure, unless the letter...
Coping with power outages – advice for healthcare professionals
Dr Tony Behrman, Medicolegal Business Consultant for Medical Protection, writes on the challenges of load shedding for South African healthcare professionals.
Dr Behrman writes:
By now...
Ivermectin: The legal pitfalls facing a prescribing practitioner
A medical practitioner who prescribes Ivermectin to a patient takes on a considerable legal liability, including the possibility of legal censure, unless the letter...
Medical Protection Society – Setting the record straight
A recent article in the Financial Mail contained misleading information about MPS – the Medical Protection Society – writes Graham Craig, MPS Business Development...
How much risk are YOU willing to bear?
Dr Volker Hitzeroth, Medicolegal Consultant for Medical Protection, writes on the breadth of medicolegal risk that Health Care Practitioners (HCPs) face while practising their...
POPIA is coming into force – are you ready?
MPS has fielded many questions on POPIA, South Africa's data privacy legislation which comes into force shortly, and is providing a range of guidance...
Wellbeing and psychological health for health care practitioners
Despite the glimmer of light and hope at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, the situation remains serious, and both clinicians and healthcare systems...
Best practice: COVID-19 vaccinations
At the time of publication, South Africa is scheduled to receive the first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of...
Doctors see benefits of telehealth — concerned some patients may get left behind
The past year has been full of challenges and changes for South Africa’s medical profession. A single article could not do justice to the...
The arrest of a health professional — how it happens and why it should only be a last resort
Averaged out over the last 10 years Medical Protection has supported members with roughly one new case per month in South Africa that is...
Munshi: Reflecting on a tragedy
The tragic death of Dr Abdulhay Munshi's death has brought into sharp focus how the law around culpable homicide is being applied to healthcare...
ConCourt ruling: Conviction overturned – but what now for the profession?
The Constitutional Court ruling setting aside the criminal conviction of obstetrician/gynaecologist Dr Danie van der Walt sets an uncomfortable precedent for the medical profession, writes Dr...