Manitoba's NDP asleep at the switch when it comes to implementing patient safety legislation

On Friday this week, we held a press conference in front of Concordia Hospital to bring attention to the NDP's delay in proclaiming (bringing into effect) Bill 17 which was passed with all party support 14 months ago.

There is no possible excuse for the NDP's delay in acting to implement this legislation which provides for a province-wide system for reporting and investigating medical errors in Manitoba.

Central to improvements in airline safety have been the reporting and investigation of accidents. But when it comes to health care, we know there are too many medical errors or accidents. Yet because we don't have a formal province-wide system for reporting and investigating such medical errors, we are not learning quickly just what went wrong and preventing similar problems in the future.

With me at the press conference was Tracy Weber (top photo) whose mother almost died as a result of what appears to be medical error(s). Also present was Leslie Worthington (bottom photo) whose father, John Klassen, did die, and the evidence collected to date supports this being due to a medical error or errors.

This press conference was part of our ongoing battle with the NDP to get better accountability in health care in Manitoba.