Medical Malpractice Laws
South Africa’s Medical Malpractice Laws
All healthcare professionals in our country are required to be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and, as such, are bound by certain regulations and codes of ethics and conduct. Any treatment you may receive from a medical institution or individual healthcare professional – which includes not only medical doctors, but also professionals such as nurses, radiologists, anaesthetists, osteopaths, dentists, psychiatrists and psychologists and many more – should be aligned with the provisions of the National Health Act No 61 of 2003, which is based on our Constitution. Within these parameters, South Africa has medical malpractice laws which protect patients from any kind of medical negligence they may encounter.
As a patient in South Africa, these medical malpractice laws are designed to protect you from and ensure suitable compensation for a wide range of medical negligence issues, which could include:
- Incorrect diagnosis of your condition.
- Incorrect prescription of drugs.
- Improper conduct in the consulting room.
- Surgical and emergency room errors.
- Cosmetic surgery malpractice.
- Birth injuries to both mother and child.
- Elder abuse and/or nursing home neglect.
- Doctor-patient confidentiality breach.
- Psychiatric malpractice.
- Dental errors.
These are just some of the areas which our medical malpractice laws address, but your first step if you suspect medical negligence should be to contact a legal firm specialising in medico-legal law, such as Adele van der Walt Attorneys, in order that a proper assessment of the merits of your case is conducted. Thereafter, your legal experts are able to liaise between you and the offending institution or individual to ensure proper process and compliance with the required laws.
Should you have suffered from negligence at the hands of the medical profession, contact Adele van der Walt Attorneys Inc today to find out about medical malpractice laws and how they can assist you.
For more information on this subject, please give us a call at 012 460 3668 (SA) or e-mail us at clare@avdw.co.za
