A leading medical negligence lawyer has said hospitals and doctors need to be more open with patients following a medical accident.
Michael Boylan said despite calls for more openness by the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive, cases were still fought 'tooth and nail' by hospitals and the State Claims Agency.
The agency received over 84,000 reports of accidents in 2008 but just 521 claims were initiated.
Mr Boylan was speaking at a conference in Dublin organised by the British-based patient charity, Action Against Medical Accidents, where there have been calls for a legal duty of candour in hospitals.
AAMA Chief Executive Peter Walsh said an estimated 160,000 patients are injured in Irish hospitals based on international evidence.
He said many more people are killed or permanently disabled in Irish hospitals due to accidents than are injured in road accidents.
Mr Walsh said access to justice for injured patients needs to be improved along with a more open, learning culture.
RTE News
