WA: Doctors to be protected from spurious negligence claims

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2004
WA: Doctors to be protected from spurious negligence claims

Doctors and nurses in Western Australia are to get greater protection from the threat
of spurious negligence claims.

Health Minister JIM MCGINTY says new legal safeguards introduced into Parliament will
give health professionals greater protection from unreasonable litigation claims.

Changes to the Civil Liability Act will provide a new test for medical negligence,
similar to that operating in other states across Australia.

The test will rule out a finding of negligence against a health professional if their
conduct is found to be compatible with the views of a responsible body of their peers.

Mr MCGINTY also says there will be several safeguards for patients.

He says a court will not be bound by the views of the practitioner's professional peers
if it forms the opinion the conduct was unreasonable.

AAP RTV tc/hn/jo/rp

KEYWORD: INDEMNITY (PERTH)

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