Irwin Mitchell Opposes Medical Innovation Bill Proposed By Lord Saatchi Saying It Would Leave Patients At Risk

Specialist lawyers say there needs to be stronger evidence that clinical negligence litigation is stopping medical innovation before the proposed Saatchi Bill can be passed and that, in its current form, it could have dangerous consequences for patients.

The Medical Innovation Bill, (commonly known as the Saatchi Bill after Lord Maurice Saatchi who proposed it), is aimed at removing supposed barriers to innovation by doctors. It is proposed that doctors carrying out ‘innovative’ treatments should be protected from medical negligence claims if things go wrong and patients are injured.

A consultation seeking views on the Bill closes today (25 April 2014) and the proposals have split opinion in the medical world with many organisations and individuals involved in healthcare pointing out that the current system already allows for both a surprising degree of medical innovation whilst retaining proper redress for patients where things go wrong when they shouldn’t.

Expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell says that there needs to be more evidence that the threat of litigation is truly preventing innovation by doctors before those rights of redress for patients are removed.

David Body, a Partner and highly experienced medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell said:

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in Medical Negligence Claims.