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| Action Against Medical Accidents | |
|---|---|
| Name | Action Against Medical Accidents |
| Former name | National Association for the Prevention of Accidents (note: not the UK-wide road safety charity) |
| Formation | 1982 |
| Type | Charity / Non-profit |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Region served | United Kingdom |
| Leader title | Chief Executive |
Action Against Medical Accidents is a United Kingdom charity that provides advice, support and representation to people affected by medical negligence, patient safety incidents and adverse events in health care. Founded in the early 1980s, it operates across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and engages with institutions such as the National Health Service, regulatory bodies and parliamentary processes. The organisation combines casework, policy advocacy and public education to influence standards in hospital care, general practice and specialist services.
The organisation emerged amid a wider 20th‑century expansion of patient advocacy groups responding to incidents such as the Bristol heart scandal, the Shipman inquiry revelations and the public debates following the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust public inquiry. Its founding overlapped with campaigns by consumer groups like Which? and patient organisations including Patients Association, while contemporary legal reforms included deliberations influenced by the Civil Liability Act debates and landmark litigation such as Donoghue v Stevenson in tort history. Early leadership drew on figures from healthcare charities, consumer rights campaigns and legal practice, aligning with inquiries led by personalities referenced in UK public life like Sir Robert Francis and institutions such as the National Audit Office.
The charity’s stated mission focuses on improving patient safety, promoting open disclosure after adverse events, and securing redress for harmed patients through mechanisms associated with bodies like the Care Quality Commission, the General Medical Council, and the NHS Resolution scheme. Activities span practical support similar to services offered by Citizens Advice, community-facing education akin to work by Healthwatch England, and strategic litigation comparable in profile to cases brought by public interest solicitors connected to firms appearing before the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The organisation engages in collaboration with policy actors including members of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee and officials tied to the Department of Health and Social Care.
Direct services include confidential advice lines, casework assistance that interfaces with solicitors specialising in clinical negligence such as those appearing at the Royal Courts of Justice, and emotional support comparable to peer networks run by groups like Mind and Cancer Research UK support services. It provides guidance for navigating complaints procedures at trusts inspected by the Care Quality Commission and routes for escalation to regulators like the Nursing and Midwifery Council or the Health and Safety Executive when relevant. The charity produces resources for families encountering processes overseen by coroners in the Coroners' Courts, and collaborates with advocacy initiatives linked to bodies such as Equality and Human Rights Commission where discrimination in care is alleged.
The organisation engages in strategic policy work influencing legislation and regulation, submitting evidence to inquiries including those chaired by figures such as Sir Brian Langstaff and contributing to consultations run by the Ministry of Justice and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. Its legal advocacy interacts with case law developments at appellate levels including the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and often references standards set by the European Court of Human Rights in healthcare contexts. It also campaigns on reforming complaints processes analogous to debates that involved the Kirkup report and supports alternative dispute resolution approaches promoted by entities like the Civil Justice Council.
Funding streams comprise charitable grants, donations, and project funding from foundations similar to the Wellcome Trust and the Nuffield Foundation, alongside commissioned work for public bodies comparable to contracts with NHS England. Governance structures typically include boards with trustees drawn from health law, policy and patient groups, echoing governance models found at the British Red Cross and Age UK. Accountability is maintained through registration with the Charity Commission for England and Wales and reporting obligations that mirror standards enforced by the Public Accounts Committee.
The charity has contributed to high-profile public debates and supported claimant families in cases that informed inquiries such as the Francis Report and the Bristol Royal Infirmary inquiry. Its casework has influenced settlements mediated by NHS Resolution and contributed to media coverage by outlets including BBC News and The Guardian. Interventions have helped shape guidance issued by regulators like the Care Quality Commission and professional bodies such as the General Medical Council, and influenced parliamentary scrutiny that referenced reports by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Critics have argued that charities involved in clinical litigation can affect access to legal remedies and raise concerns similar to critiques levelled at organisations appearing in parliamentary inquiries like the Mid Staffordshire inquiry. Debates have arisen over funding transparency comparable to issues scrutinised by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and the balance between campaigning and casework echoed in discussions about NGOs such as Amnesty International in other sectors. The organisation has responded by publishing governance information and clarifying case selection to stakeholders including MPs from constituencies affected by high-profile healthcare failures.
Category:Health charities in the United Kingdom Category:Patient advocacy organizations