Appeals from disciplinary rulings of patients' complaints regarding physicians' conduct

In 1984 and 1985 the Danish National Board of Health received a total of 1,062 complaints from patients regarding alleged physician negligence. The board has disciplinary powers over physicians in cases of negligence, and advises the Attorney General in cases of gross negligence which are referred to the court. The investigation found that 17% of the board's rulings were taken on appeal, of these 9% were either wholly or partly upheld. Physicians did not appeal frequently (2%), but their appeals were more often upheld (32%) than was the case in respect of patients' appeals (15% and 4.4% respectively). Evaluation of the cases taken on appeal did not provide support for extending the right to appeal. The consequences of such an extension are, however, discussed in the light of subsequent limitations imposed on the right to appeal and the more well-established and comprehensive provisions for appealing that exist in some neighbouring countries.