For practitioners, knowing what is classified as an adverse event, which must be notified to their professional indemnity insurer, is often difficult. Failing to notify of an adverse event could mean that the practitioner is not covered by their insurer for any claim arising out of the adverse event.

On 23 July 2015, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), issued a Media Release opening public consultation on proposed draft revisions to the clinical practice section of: Ethical Guidelines on the Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology in Clinical Practice and Research, 2007 (‘ART Guideline’).11

Currently information available to consumers having cosmetic medical and surgical procedures (including botox injections) can be of variable accuracy and quality. Patients may be unaware of the various levels of qualifications and training required for different procedures.

The recently released Australian movie, “Last Cab to Darwin”, will generate conversations and recall the Northern Territory’s Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995.

A critical lesson from the Quakers Hill Nursing Home disaster is to conduct adequate pre-employment screening and check references on new employees.

These principles may also be applied to conducting adequate background checks and checking references on independent contractors such as agency staff, volunteers and potential residents.

By Zara Officer, Special Counsel and Vahini Chetty, Associate

Dr Nitschke is a medical practitioner who was not in practice during the relevant period and who has links with the organisation Exit International, a voluntary euthanasia research foundation.

The tragic death of 14 aged care residents at the Quakers Hill Nursing Home provides a number of lessons for hospital operators and residential aged care operators, including in relation to:

Many properties are either burdened or benefited by easements - but what is an easement, and what does it mean if your property is the subject of an easement?

Are you interested in hearing from experts in the field about dealing with death in the health and aged care industry – including advance care directives, coronial inquests and euthanasia?

Health information can reflect a person’s medical condition (including HIV status), mental health, lifestyle, sexual preference, personal history (in terms of sexual or other abuse), family and beliefs.  This information can be valuable not only in terms of clinical care but also in relation to medical research, population planning, genetic profiling, personalised medicine, workers compensation, insurance profiles and, in cases dealing with paternity, custody and other disputes.