Abstract
Medical errors are a major cause of death and harm in healthcare, yet most go unreported due to fear of punishment. This essay explores whether holding healthcare workers fully accountable for every mistake improves safety or creates a harmful blame culture. Using the case of Dr. Hadiza Bawa-Garba, it shows how individual punishment can overlook deeper system failures, such as staff shortages and poor communication. The essay compares this with Denmark’s non-punitive reporting system, which encourages healthcare professionals to report errors without fear, leading to real improvements in patient safety. Blame cultures, on the other hand, discourage openness and violate key ethical principles like doing no harm, telling the truth, and respecting patient autonomy. While accountability is necessary in cases of reckless behaviour, punishing honest mistakes does more harm than good. The paper argues for a “Just Culture” approach that promotes learning, distinguishes between types of mistakes, and supports both accountability and improvement. This balance helps protect patients while also supporting healthcare workers and building trust in the system.
