title: Inquiries into health care: learning or lynching?
abstract: There is a spectrum of reasons for inquiries into health care: learning, catharsis, reassurance, and accountability. The tension is immediately obvious. Is the primary purpose learning or lynching? We need to learn from major health inquiries. New Zealand needs a culture of inquiry that encourages health professionals to discuss their concerns. We need mechanisms that enable health professionals to share, learn, and implement changes for improvement. We need processes that support more informed scrutiny of health service quality by the public and media. There will continue to be a place for inquiries by the HDC and Coroners where external scrutiny is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Health and Disability Commissioner, PO Box 1791, Auckland 1140, New Zealand. rpaterson@hdc.org.nz
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paterson
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D030881:Disclosure; D005104:Expert Testimony; D006077:Government Agencies; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors; D009520:New Zealand; D010380:Peer Review; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012941:Social Responsibility; D035642:Whistleblowing