(1) (a) Honourable Member, the question of whether a person died from negligence by medical and other personnel in a hospital, whether state or private, is not a medical diagnosis. It is a conclusion that can only be reached as a result of a court hearing or a hearing by the various statutory bodies like the Health Professions Council, the Nursing Council, the Pharmacy Council or the Allied Health Professions Council.
Hence we will have to peruse court records with the Department of Justice to clinch such information.
We will also have to peruse the rulings of the various statutory councils.
We will then be in a position to provide you with figures.
(b) and (c) The information so clinched as stated above will answer these two questions. Hence we will have to wait for that information first.
(2) Every hospital, clinic, health facility and health worker use special protocols and practices to avoid death as much as possible.
(3) The Health Ombuds, since starting work six months ago, has not yet reported on any case. This week the Office announced that it will issue the first report on the 18th of January 2017. Honourable Member has to be patient to wait for that.
END.