It’s understood stunned staff in the hospital ward raced to save the doctor from the unprovoked beating before cops were called. The frightening attack is the latest in a series of abuse suffered by hard-working staff at the RAH.

The full extent of medical negligence payments in the province was revealed on Tuesday by Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramakgopa‚ in response to questions by Democratic Alliance MPL Jack Bloom. The worst cases included a R4-million payout for a child subjected to an incorrect arm and leg amputation at Yusuf Dadoo Hospital.

A large crowd gathered around the desk in Branstad’s formal capitol office as he signed the bill into law. “This is something I’ve waited a long, long time to sign,” Branstad said, as a woman in the crowd responded: “Us, too,” and people started laughing.

Introduction

Until now, the position in Singapore was as set out in Khoo James and another v Gunapathy d/o Muniandy and another appeal [2002] 1 SLR(R) 1024 ("Gunapathy") which followed the principles established in the English decisions of Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee [1957] 1 WLR 582 and Bolitho v City and Hackney Health Authority [1998] AC 232. Put simply, the Bolam and Bolitho tests (as they are commonly known) provide that a doctor will meet the requisite standard of care if he has acted in accordance with the practices and opinions of a responsible body of medical practitioners skilled in that particular area (provided such practices and opinions are logically defensible).

Physician groups warned the ruling could lead to more lawsuits, driving up the cost of medical liability insurance and increasing the practice of defensive medicine. Trial lawyers countered that the decision is likely to apply to only a handful of cases but would provide meaningful protections for patients.

In April 2017, Matthew and Sarah Hipps were awarded an $8.5 million verdict against Virginia Mason after a 2013 surgery performed an unauthorized physician left Matthew Hipps permanently disfigured.