Med neg work: the facts

Last week's news brief, "Med neg work to be restricted to franchisees", reported that from next January only personal injury franchisees would be able to do medical negligence work, until that pool was restricted further, about six months later, following the introduction of a medical negligence franchise category.

The new medical negligence category will actually be introduced in January 1999. Applications will be accepted from November.

From January 1999, only medical negligence franchisees will be able to conduct medical negligence legal aid work.

For the first six months, all existing personal injury franchisees will also be able to "hold themselves out as franchised" in the new medical negligence category. Then, they will only be able to continue to do the work if they gain a medical negligence franchise.



Louise Collins, project manager - medical negligence, Legal Aid Board.