Doctors and nurses discussed liability for adverse events

One of the main topics on the agenda was the position on changing the rules of medical personnel liability for adverse events. The project under discussion formed the basis for a discussion on protecting the interests and well-being of patients and setting limits on medical treatment in controversial situations. The professional self-governments expect to restore the possibility of safe medical treatment and declared their joint efforts to implement the higher good clause.

- We have a lot of ongoing criminal cases in the medical community, and the same goes for the nursing and midwifery community. These cases are ongoing. We already have the first data that says that a medical worker sued for a medical error has twice the risk of professional burnout, 1.6 times the risk of suicide and 1.8 times the risk of risky behavior, including alcoholism. These criminal proceedings are exhausting our medical staff, and nothing comes of it," said Lukasz Jankowski.

Indeed, it turns out that data provided by the Minister of Justice shows that 93 percent of these proceedings are dropped. 7 percent end with an indictment filed with the court, and individuals are convicted. Last year, there were 2,300 cases. About 100 ended in indictments, and two people were convicted.

- We have been talking for a long time about a no-fault system, that is, a system that would abolish criminal liability from medics and leave civil and professional liability. We call it a higher good clause, because the good of the patient is the highest good for our professions," the NRL president explained.

Another important issue was the position on the education of doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives. According to the local governments, it is necessary to adapt the process of medical education to current needs and requirements in order to ensure high quality education and adequate preparation of specialists. In unison, they stressed the need to maintain appropriate teaching standards for future medics, including the need to close or extinguish medical and medical-dental faculties that have not received a positive opinion from the Polish Accreditation Commission and to use the potential of medical universities and accredited units to educate medical personnel. On the other hand, with regard to the education of nurses and midwives, it is necessary, among other things, to determine the levels of professional competence after completing particular types and fields of postgraduate education, and to indicate the authorization to provide specific health services,

During the meeting, the issue of the mandatory knowledge of the Polish language for those obtaining the right to practice medicine was also discussed. Representatives of the local governments cited examples of pending cases in the professional liability divisions of doctors and nurses who, not understanding and speaking Polish in their profession, put patients at risk of loss of life and health. The position taken indicated that knowledge of the Polish language is indispensable for effective communication with patients and to ensure the safety and quality of medical services.

The last item on the agenda was a proposal to adopt rules for the performance of aesthetic medicine health services. Local governments are keen to regulate this area of medicine, and for doctors and nurses and midwives working in it to create clear and specified guidelines.

Among the issues discussed in the free motions were self-improvement in the medical profession, including the award and enforcement of educational credits, anesthesia in perinatal care, and transplantation and how to talk to patients about organ harvesting for transplantation.

The two presidencies stressed the importance of cooperation between local governments, both for the safety of treatment and the protection of the rights of the medical profession. At the same time, it was decided to continue the dialogue in order to determine further actions for the development of health care and to raise the standards of services provided. It was decided that joint meetings would be held every six months.