Tuesday, May 11, 2004

Tomorrow, May 12, MOH will explain why important records have disappeared, maybe.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario characterized less than truthful or accurate statements by its members’ as follows; "It is inevitable that when a number of health professionals are dealing with complicated problems that certain inconsistencies will arise in the recording of events, and these inconsistencies may give rise to concern on the part of family members. It is not the responsibility of the committee to explain each of these inconsistencies to the satisfaction of the complainant,".
Has this dubious ethical and moral standard relating to truth been adapted by the Ministry of Health?

I'll find out tomorrow, maybe.

Doctors have no duty to give, as a result of their negligence, a truthful account of the circumstances of a death, nor even to refrain from deliberately falsifying records?‽
Is this believable?‽
It seemed too farfetched to be believable until I looked at the European Court of Human Rights decision.
"Whilst it was arguable that doctors had a duty not to falsify medical records under the common law (Sir Donaldson MR’s “duty of candour”), before Powell v Boladz there was no binding decision of the courts as to the existence of such a duty. As the law stands now, however, doctors have no duty to give the parents of a child who died as a result of their negligence a truthful account of the circumstances of the death, nor even to refrain from deliberately falsifying records."


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