Clinical negligence and the need to keep professionally updated

Nurses and doctors are under a legal duty to keep reasonably up to date; this is a fundamental aspect of their legal duty of care to their patients. A nurse or doctor could be negligent if a patient is harmed because of ignorance of well accepted and known published nursing and medical research findings. It is all a question of fact and degree and cases will turn on their own circumstances. There are a number of reported court cases which explore this issue and which contain useful guidance. These cases are discussed within the context of the new NHS and the Government's emphasis on health quality, and increasing healthcare litigation.