Medical manslaughter: a recent history

Abstract

While it remains rare that a healthcare professional is struck off or prosecuted for clinical negligence, criminal prosecutions for medical negligence through the offence of gross negligence manslaughter are even rarer. Although few in number, these cases are often the subject of intense media attention and show a trend towards increasingly severe sentences, with the most recent cases involving custodial terms. The ramifications of recent rulings for healthcare professionals could be profound.