Whilst the evening also celebrated the many achievements of AvMA over its 25 years, the celebrations will be tempered by a more sombre acknowledgement of avoidable harm that has been caused how much still remains to be done. The charity can claim a large amount of credit for getting patient safety to the top of the health agenda, and huge improvements in the way that the law deals with clinical negligence. However, as recent events have shown, many patients continue to be killed or inured as a result of poor treatment. Access to justice for injured patients or their families remains difficult to achieve for the majority of people. According to the charity’s Chief Executive, Peter Walsh, patient safety and justice is at a watershed. Mr Walsh said:
“Whilst patient safety is top of the agenda, the NHS needs to demonstrate it is actually reducing errors. We are disappointed to see some kinds of errors still being repeated. The Chief Medical Officer himself describes this as the ‘last chance saloon’ for the patient safety movement. Britain also needs to decide whether it is serious about access to justice. The restriction of legal aid makes it near impossible for many. We still await a more enlightened approach to providing compensation, and there is still resistance to introducing a legal duty of candour”.