Call for medics to be charged in neglect cases

Academics have suggested that a new charge of “wilful neglect” should be brought against clinicians who fail to adequately look after their patients.

The researchers at Manchester University’s Centre for Social Ethics and Policy say medics should be held accountable not only when patients die from neglect, but in all cases of neglect.

They make the call in the Journal of Medical Ethics, saying criminal charges for neglect already exist in countries such as France.

This sort of ‘conduct crime’ could be prosecuted without having to prove tangible injury.

The ethicists suggest such laws could have prevented the “abysmal care” and unnecessary deaths seen at Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust.

They write: “Ensuring that those responsible for harm suffered are held to account is crucial to delivering acceptable patient redress.”