Carlien van Heerden
Location for Mediation
Pretoria
Primary Mediation Service Offering
Medical Negligence and Health Sector Mediation
Expertise
Carlien van Heerden is a Neonatal Nurse Specialist, Medico-Legal Neonatal Nursing Expert, Neonatal Consultant, Quality Improvement Specialist, and accredited Mediator with her own consultancy practice.With extensive experience assisting law firms as a nursing expert, she provides independent medico-legal opinions in matters relating to neonatal care and medical negligence. She is particularly passionate about mediation as an effective alternative dispute resolution mechanism, focusing on addressing the needs and interests of all parties while promoting sustainable, relationship-centred solutions within South Africa’s healthcare sector.She participated in a pilot mediation project facilitated by SAMLA in collaboration with the Road Accident Fund (RAF) and the Gauteng Department of Health (MEC of Health, Gauteng). Through this initiative, she gained valuable practical experience as both mediator and co-mediator in complex healthcare-related disputes.Carlien firmly believes that mediation will play a pivotal role in addressing the high volume of litigation within South Africa’s healthcare sector by promoting constructive dialogue, restoring professional relationships, and facilitating sustainable resolutions.
Qualifications
She obtained her BCur degree in Nursing Science (2001), a Master’s degree in Advanced Neonatal Nursing Science (2004), a qualification in Nursing Education (2005), a PhD in Neonatal Nursing Science (2015), and a Post-doctoral degree (2016) from the University of Pretoria. In 2018, she completed the Foundations of Medical-Legal Practice Course through South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA) in collaboration with the University of Cape Town. In 2019, she qualified as a Medical Negligence and Health Sector Mediator through Mediation in Motion, and the University of Cape Town. She is a member of the Neonatal Nurses Association of South Africa, and member of the South African Medico-Legal Association.