DAMMAM: A lawyer revealed a large shortage in the number of judges who work on medical legislative committees which causes delays in rulings on cases and delays in holding sessions.

Hamoud Al-Khalidi told local media that cases concerning medical mistakes suffer from long delays. He added that the medical legislative committee in the Eastern Province has only one judge. He stressed the importance of providing more than one judge especially in large provinces which have many hospitals and hence many medical mistakes. He said mistakes could lead to major outcomes including the loss of life or serious complications, which calls for more legal and legislative regulations.

Medical mistakes registered a notable increase in the past few years with the growing number of beneficiaries from medical services.

The Ministry of Health revealed that the number of health practitioners who committed medical mistakes reached 1,644, of whom 510 are doctors.

Medical committees are made of grade “A” judges who are appointed by the minister of Justice, a regulatory consultant appointed by the minister of Health, in addition to two doctors. Committee decisions are approved by the minister of Health.

People can file grievances against these decisions in the administrative court (Board of Grievances) within 60 days of the ruling date by presenting an objection list that includes reasons for the objection and supporting evidence.

Some legal systems apply general rules in criminal law to medical mistakes without giving much attention to its special nature. However the majority of legal systems are moving toward allocating a special law with its own texts.

The Saudi system approved this latest development by establishing a special system in regards to practicing human medicine that includes doctors’ duties and elements of their accountability as well as the body related to criminal accountability in this case.