Malpractice claims cost Gauteng R573 million

The Gauteng health department faced malpractice claims totalling R573 million from 2009-10, according to its annual report.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged the department to put measures in place to improve its services to patients and reduce the number of high-value claims that are made.

It blames management issues, and says the health department in Gauteng needs to make significant improvements in high-risk areas, like overcrowding and lack of resources, to improve patient safety and reduce negligence claims. 

The DA says changes in the way legal cases are funded have had an impact on the number of claims that are made. Contingency plans offered by lawyers have meant that many patients who would have previously been deterred by the cost of legal action, will now feel able to file a claim for compensation, it says.

The Gauteng health department denied that more cases are being made, and instead blames higher-value claims for the high total expenditure. It went on to say that measures are being put in place to avoid repeat negligence cases.

Some of the biggest payouts have been in cases involving substandard care in obstetrics and gynaecology and orthopaedics.