'Criminal offence will create culture of fear in NHS', MPS responds to government’s response to Francis Inquiry
Post date: 19/11/2013 | Time to read article: 1 minsThe information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 14/11/2018
Following the government’s announcement that there will be a new criminal offence for wilful neglect, Dr Stephanie Bown, Director of Policy and Communications at the Medical Protection Society, said, 'The Medical Protection Society has long argued that better care for patients in the NHS would come through creating the right culture, which cannot be achieved through legislation. We welcome the explicit recognition by government that nothing can be achieved without a cultural change; in our view everything else must support this objective.
By creating a culture of openness and learning, we believe doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals will not only be in a position to raise patient safety concerns with confidence that they will be supported, but they will also be in a position to drive continuous improvement in standards of care.
Whilst introducing a new criminal offence for wilful neglect may seem like a strong measure, we believe it will serve to create a greater climate of fear and put less focus on patients, not more. This is not what the NHS needs.'
More information
For further information, or to arrange an interview with Dr Bown, please contact: Elizabeth Bananuka, Media Relations Manager, on 020 7399 1428 or email [email protected]
