A Review of the Role of Roster Data and Evidence of Attendance in Cases of Suspected Excess Deaths in a Medical Context

Several cases are reviewed where medical practitioners and carers have been accused of harming those in their charge. A particular focus of attention has been the 'evidence of attendance' where the numbers of deaths over a period of time exceed those normally expected in comparison with historical death rates in relation to a particular medical professional or carer. The logical structures underpinning the evidential reasoning are examined from the legal and scientific standpoints, and the issues involved in the use of statistical evidence of association are discussed