Dear Prime Minister of Australian Government,
I, on behalf of all submitters, write to advise that government has been misled into taking unfair decision by an error appearing in a Senator authored inquiry report, as seen in government response to 10 May 2017 Senate inquiry into medical complaint process.
Government responded, line 2, para 2, p.5 of public report. ‘The currently available evidence suggests that the incidence of vexatious notifications is very low,….’
The referenced evidence has its origins in 2.52 of inquiry report. Report identifies evidence, as NHPOPC in 2.25.The basis of conclusions about evidence, is information appearing in 2.28.
‘2.28 NHPOPC’s submission to the committee also indicates vexatious notifications for the 2016–17 year were trending higher than in the previous two years, with an estimated twelve complaints received at the time of submission, or 6.5 per cent of the total notifications received during the period30.’
Superscript 30 being page 11, of NHPOPC submission 105.
If you omit words, ‘complaints from health practitioners raising concerns about allegedly’ from line1, para 3, p.11 of NHPOPC submission 105, and ‘been received from health practitioners during this period where the health practitioner has raised an allegation of’ from line 2, para 3, p 11, the edited text with missing words would appear, ‘Evaluation of complaints received from 1 July 2016 to 30 December 2016, does, however, reveal an increase in vexatious notifications. While the data for this period is yet to be audited, the NHPOPC estimates that twelve complaints have vexatiousness in relation to a notification. This represents 6.5 per cent of the 182 complaints received during this period.’
Only that editing would be consistent with content of 2.28, thereby turning evidence referenced in 2.52, into an editing error. The error has been carelessly adopted by government and appears in report of government response:
‘The currently available evidence suggests that the incidence of vexatious notifications is very low, and that greater risk is posed to the public from people not reporting their concerns.’
‘The Australian Government does not support actions that could discourage people from raising their concerns with AHPRA.’
‘The Australian Government does not support Recommendation 3:The Committee recommends that the COAG Health Council consider whether recourse and compensation processes should be made available to health practitioners subjected to vexatious claims.’
The error influenced government to not support recourse and compensation, by comparing the act of supporting with a speculative idea of an action, that may or may not discourage reporting, in the absence of any independent evidence suggesting anticipated risk, from not reporting, following recourse and compensation of submitters.
The truth of inquiry is that there exists no independent unedited evidence to oppose the anecdotal evidence submitted by the majority of submitters. The lack of any rebuttal proves that vexatious complaints are widespread.
Therefore, purely on democratic grounds and on democratic governing principles of majority, I, on behalf of all submitters, representing that majority, rightfully demand from government, that affected submitters in majority, who provided the entire gamut of unopposed anecdotal evidence be granted recourse and compensation in all due fairness, and in spirit of upholding democratic principles and values.
Regards,
Chandrika Barman
Submitter 132.
Into 10 May 2017 Senate Inquiry into Medical Complaints Process