“MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE AND MALPRACTICE ‘The average patient has few if not any satisfactory avenues in which to vent his / her frustration in the event of poor or negligent treatment.’ To what extent is this an accurate picture of the NHS complaints mechanism in this country? How far has civil litigation filled the gap?”

Medical malpractice is professional negligence by an act or omission of a healthcare practitioner, where care provided deviates from accepted standards of practice in the medical community.  Thus, causing injury or death of a patient.

However medical professionals can obtain professional liability insurances to offset the risk and costs of lawsuits based on medical malpractice. A healthcare provider represents themselves as having more than average skills and abilities, they are trusted bodies however there are still occasions when medical malpractice occurs. The victims of medical malpractice have to rely on the usual rules establishing that a duty of care is owed by the healthcare provider concerned and that there is a breach of that duty….(short extract)