LETTER: Blame huge negligence claims on useless doctors

The proposed changes to rein in the huge medical negligence claims facing the state are ill conceived (“Law Commission proposes changes to rein in medical negligence payouts”, November 15).

One can only imagine the horror caused by incompetent state doctors and nurses while treating patients. However, instead of trying to improve “pretrial processes, reducing the number of matters that go to court”, consideration should be given to how to improve the standard of medical care by the state.

The law adviser at the commission, Ronel van Zyl, said: “We have to stop these huge amounts of money going out the system.” Really? How about medical practitioners performing their duties with care and diligence instead of killing and maiming people? After all, ordinary people rely on medical staff to assist them in their time of ill health.

It is not the legal system or lawyers that should be pilloried. The medical and hospital administration in our country leaves much to be desired because of malpractice. The legal system and lawyers bring justice to people injured or killed by useless doctors and nursing staff.

Our law of negligence is universally recognised, and to tamper with it is to regress.

Nathan Cheiman
Northcliff

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