Doctor – Tell Me the Truth (two-part radio documentary)
In case you missed it on the radio on February 21st/28th, 2012, you can listen to this highly relevant. two-part BBC documentary here (see red link).
It deals with negligence and transparency in healthcare. And it looks first at a new programme in the USA where admission of mistakes – rather than denial – is the doctors’ / hospitals’ default position…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01c7nd3/ (to listen to Part One, just highlight this link. Then copy and paste it to your web browser. Or ‘right click’ and select the ‘go to’ option). Or simply click on this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01c7nd3/Doctor_Tell_Me_the_Truth_Episode_1/
Every year up to 98,000 Americans die as a result of the medical treatment they receive. Professor James Reason discovers how doctors who have admitted their mistakes have helped patient safety.
He hears from Rick Boothman and Darrell Campbell at the University of Michigan, the creators of a programme where doctors have to be open about their errors. They describe the previous ‘deny-and-defend’ attitude of hospitals and contrast this with the present system in which investigations into errors can be started even before the patient comes round from their anaesthetic.
In programme two, Prof Reason asks whether the University of Michigan programme could work in the NHS. Peter Walsh from Action Against Medical Accidents describes cases where doctors have been prevented from admitting mistakes by managers. He explains Robbie’s Law, a piece of proposed legislation now being examined, which would require all NHS hospitals to adopt an open disclosure policy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01cjm5d/ (to listen to Part Two, just highlight this link. Then copy and paste it to your web browser. Or ‘right click’ and select the ‘go to’ option). Or simply click on this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01cjm5d/Doctor_Tell_Me_the_Truth_Episode_2/
Presenter/James Reason, Producer/James Crawford for the BBC