Our history

Since our inception, we have provided advice and support to thousands of people affected by avoidable harm in healthcare each year, and succeeded in bringing about massive changes to the legal system.

Over 40 years of supporting patients and their families

Since our foundation in 1982, Avma has provided information, advice, and support to thousands of people affected by avoidable medical harm, as well as their families. We have also succeeded in bringing about massive changes to the way the legal system in the UK deals with clinical negligence, and in moving patient safety higher up the agenda.

We help over 5,000 people every year who have experienced avoidable harm in healthcare, and we continue to fight to preserve access to justice for victims of clinical negligence and for better patient safety.

However, while we have made many significant achievements over the last 40+ years, the need for our work is greater than ever. Healthcare systems are under more strain than ever before and the cost of clinical negligence increases every year. That’s why we continue to accelerate our efforts to help patients get the outcomes they need.

Watch our new brand video

A new chapter for Avma

Our new brand video charts our journey from 1982 to present day, showcasing how our past has shaped our bold new future. The animation reveals the stories behind our history, the meaning behind our new heart-and-arrow logo, and how we are sharpening our focus to better serve our community.

Timeline of our key milestones

1980s: The start of the movement

1982: Playwright Peter Ransley starts Action for the Victims of Medical Accidents (AVMA) after his BBC “Play for Today” Minor Complications causes public outcry. Solicitor Arnold Simanowitz is the charity’s first Chief Executive.

1983: AVMA begins to campaign to improve expertise in clinical negligence and initiates the first solicitor referral programme (a precursor to today’s Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel).

1984: AVMA employs its first advice caseworker. By 1987, the casework team is dealing with over 5,000 cases a year.

1989: AVMA hosts the first edition of its flagship Annual Clinical Negligence Conference (ACNC), bringing together leaders in the area of clinical negligence law.

1990s: Gaining steam, making waves

1990: AVMA launches its Medical Legal Journal, which is still published today as part of the Journal of Patient Safety and Risk Management.

1994: With a grant from the King’s Fund, AVMA establishes the first self-help network for victims of avoidable medical harm.

1995: AVMA successfully campaigns against the abolition of legal aid for clinical negligence cases. The government agrees to retain legal aid in 1999.

1996: After AVMA-led lobbying, a new NHS complaints procedure is introduced. The system would be improved and modernised several times in later years.

2000s: Growing to new heights

2001: After campaigning by AVMA, the Commission for Health Improvement (now the Care Quality Commission, the CQC) and National Patient Safety Agency are established.

2003: Peter Walsh takes over as Chief Executive. The charity is renamed Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and positions itself as the charity for patient safety and justice.

2007: The number of people helped by AvMA passes 100,000.

2009: AvMA launches an inquest support service to support families at healthcare-related inquests and generate lessons for patient safety.

2010s: Key system responses

2010: AvMA acts as a ‘core participant’ in the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. 90% of our suggestions are taken up by chair Robert Francis KC.

2011: AvMA leads the campaign for access to justice in clinical negligence cases in light of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

2014: AvMA’s long campaign for a duty of candour leads to implementation in England, with plans to introduce similar measures in other UK countries.

2018: AvMA successfully campaigns against the imposition of the ‘safe space’ prohibition of sharing information from local investigations of patient safety incidents.

2019: AvMA leads the campaign against a crude ‘fixed recoverable costs’ approach in clinical negligence claims.

2020s: Challenges of the future

2020: The Covid-19 pandemic strikes. AvMA manages to keep all services for clients running and campaigns for more to be done to avoid harm to non-Covid patients as a result of closure of services. However, the ACNC has to be abandoned for the first time, alongside other events, costing us over £250,000.

2021: AvMA launches the campaign for a ‘Harmed Patient Care Pathway’ with the Harmed Patients Alliance, outlining specific kinds of support people should be entitled to expect when harmed. The full Pathway is launched in 2025.

2022: Peter Walsh retires, Paul Whiteing takes over as CEO.

2026: The charity refreshes its brand and becomes Avma.

Help us extend our impact for the next 40 years

Inspired by our work? Recognise the need for Avma to support people affected by avoidable medical harm? We can only do what we do with the help of our valuable donors and fundraisers. See how you can support Avma today.

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