Health Minister Exposes Doctors to Huge Risk

act-new-zealand

Wed Sep 18 2002 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Health Minister Exposes Doctors to Huge Risk

Wednesday, 18 September 2002, 6:09 pm
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

The Health Minister is exposing doctors to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of personal risk, ACT Health Spokesman Heather Roy said today.

"Yesterday's Privy Council decision that doctors can be sued for exemplary damages over unintended errors means the Health Minister cannot continue to expose health professionals to an unfair burden of stress and overwork".

"As more and more health professionals leave New Zealand, those remaining are left to "do their best" under difficult conditions".

"Doctors and other health professionals will be placed in the position of facing legal action as individuals for unintended errors made as a result of faults that lie within the system".

"It is time for the Minister to come clean and admit that doctors and other health professionals have to make some tough decisions on clinical matters because of the limited resources available to them. If she fails to do so, she places every New Zealand health professional in a perilous situation," Mrs Roy said.

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