Compensation for NHS medical negligence

Figures reported yesterday by Health Minister, Jane Kennedy confirmed that the NHS paid out almost £300million in compensation to victims of clinical negligence last year. This amount has increased over the years and is likely to make many people unhappy as the money is taken out of the NHS budget and could have funded three PFI hospitals and many thousands of operations. Claims made by patients in 2003-2004 cost the NHS £296 million whilst figures for 1996-1997 record that £1,073,630 was paid by the NHS.The figures then increased to £293,886,117 in 2000 and then £695,763,180 for the following year.

Medical campaigners feel that this years figure could have potentially been a lot higher, as there were more than 850,000 accidents in the UK each year, causing 40,000 deaths.

Peter Walsh of Action against Medical Accidents feels that patient’s are generally reluctant to sue the NHS.He comments that where a claim has been instigated by the patient, their main objective is to use the compensation to lead a normal life.

Questions will now be raised regarding the Governments failure to implement plans to address these problems.Plans of an NHS Redress Scheme were mentioned in the last Queens Speech, and the CMO, Sir Liam Donaldson also commented that changes were needed to avoid “the spectre of a culture of heavy litigation”.