The Investigative Committee in Bashkiria proposed creating a fund to pay relatives of victims of medical errors

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Bashkiria proposed creating a fund that would make payments to the relatives of victims of medical errors. This was stated by the head of the investigative department Denis Chernyatyev, speaking to deputies of the republican state assembly, Interfax reports.

He said that residents of the republic do not receive information about the causes of death of loved ones in hospitals and turn to the investigation with a demand to initiate a criminal case. Chernyatyev believes that investigators are forced to perform the functions of the Ministry of Health and Roszdravnadzor.

According to the head of the investigation department, the number of reports of medical errors and defects in the provision of medical care is increasing in the region. Criminal cases are initiated for every third report, but a sixth of them reach the court. The remaining cases are dismissed due to the non-criminal nature of the medical error. He added that the system of criminal prosecution of doctors, in which victims demand the initiation of cases, will lead to the loss of qualified medical personnel.

According to Chernyatyev, it is necessary to create an off-budget fund that will determine the grounds and amounts of compensation for those whose relatives died from medical errors and defects in medical care. He also proposed introducing compulsory state insurance for emergency medicine specialists - surgeons and resuscitators. In addition, Chernyatyev believes that an independent expert commission of forensic experts is needed.

The head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin, said that in most cases of medical errors it is not the fault of medical workers. According to him, “citizens often complain about red tape, long investigation times and the inability during this time to establish what really happened and whether medical workers are at fault.”

In the spring of 2019, the Investigative Committee supported the medical community, which opposed real imprisonment for doctors for unintentional errors. A joint group of the Investigative Committee and the National Medical Chamber has begun to develop amendments to Article 124.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (improper provision of medical care), which provides for punishment for medical errors.

In January, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to ensure a change in legislation to exempt doctors from criminal liability for the loss of narcotic and psychotropic medications.