Medico-legal litigation

The editorial ‘Prosecute now, ask questions later’ (March 19) caught my attention. As a medical practitioner with 30 years’ experience in a high-risk discipline, I found this thought disturbing.

Medico-legal litigation is one of the major challenges facing our society as I write and, no, it is not only a challenge for the medical profession but society as a whole.

For any process not functioning fairly and equitably, there needs to be in place a system of ‘checks and balances’ which ensures that only the appropriate cases are brought to court.

A medical team in hospital performing surgery. File photo: shutterstock.com

This is especially so in cases where criminal negligence is being claimed. In civil suits, most practitioners come to terms with the turn of events and, after some time, can continue to live their lives and serve their patients with some serenity. This is especially so since, as members of the EU, all healthcare professionals are obliged to be insured against such events.

Criminal cases are a different matter altogether. Although few, we have had our fair share of cases involving an appendix, an artery rather than a vein and, very recently, a number of paediatricians were found not guilty in another sad case. These doctors’ lives are thrown up in the air and only a very strong sense of resolve will avoid their falling into a sense of despair.

So, going back to the editorial, the process needs to have some scrutiny along the way, from someone making a report at a police station and the case ending up in the courts of justice.

In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, this is provided for by the Office of the Coroner (Wikipedia: a government official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquiry into the manner or cause of death). This person is usually a specialist judge. This office was established during medieval times (during the reign of King Richard I, to be exact) and has remained in existence ever since. Clearly, this means that it is serving an important purpose.

The concept of having some degree of scrutiny over what proceeds to the court of justice or not is by no means a protectionist move towards doctors. Society should concern itself with this issue as it is a very important factor affecting recruitment into these high-risk medico-legal disciplines.

Doctors working in these disciplines are under a lot of pressure 24/7. They need to know that, if they do their job well and follow protocols assiduously, they will not end up in court because of an unfortunate outcome.

Only in this way can we hope to have the best brains looking after ourselves and our dear ones.

Mark Formosa, consultant gynaecologist – Sliema

A spiritual father 

Fr John Curmi, who has been serving as the parish priest of Mqabba for the last nine-and-a-half years, will end his term in the next few days.

Other than a parish priest, Fr John was a friend and a spiritual father who helped steer the community during difficult times. As a community, we recall how Fr John went the extra mile during COVID to accompany the old and vulnerable, who were isolated in their homes without much human contact and assistance.  

Fr John also provided a daily radio transmission to help these persons. Each evening, he celebrated a live radio mass after which he invited parishioners and people from nearby villages to call in if they wished to have a quick chat with him.  

Fr John Curmi

Every mass celebrated by Fr John drew so many to a deeper love for our Eucharistic Lord because of the deep love for Jesus Christ, which radiated from his very being. Fr John encouraged the community unceasingly to play an active role in the life of the Church because he believed that everyone has the duty to go out and spread the word and love of God. 

The parish is looking forward to continue to grow spiritually under the guidance of the new parish priest, Fr Blake Camilleri.

As a parish community, we would like to thank God Almighty for Fr John’s years of service. We pray that he will be guarded from all harm and may continue to be a powerful missionary disciple of God’s love to others.  

We pray also for Fr Blake, that God may guide him in his new role so that he may fulfil his responsibilities in accordance with His will and continue drawing us to a deeper relationship with Him. 

Felix Mallia on behalf of the Mqabba parish church community – Mqabba