What is a defamatory statement?
A defamatory statement is the communication of an insulting or denigrating statement concerning one person to another person, that is capable of injuring the person’s reputation, such as an allegation by one health care professional that another is incompetent. In order to avoid making defamatory statements during the open disclosure process, those involved in the open disclosure process should ensure that: • statements made or recorded are accurate and verified • conclusions are based on the facts and follow logically, fairly and reasonably from the information obtained • rumours, or material known to be false or irrelevant material is excluded • the manner and extent of the disclosure does not exceed what was reasonably required for the purposes of open disclosure.
