Industry News: Rise in Medical Negligence Claims against NHS
The annual NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) report for 2008/09 has revealed an 11% increase in medical negligence claims against the NHS. The report noted: ‘We have not been able to identify any single factor that might have precipitated the rise.’
The report showed that the amount paid out by the NHS in legal costs and damages has also increased dramatically, from £661 million in 2007/08 to £807 million in 2008/09.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: ‘The amount spent on clinical negligence in 2008/09 does not necessarily reflect the number of new claims being made in that year, but could indicate that more claims were settled and compensation paid.’
The NHSLA report also showed that maternity cases lead to the highest payouts for legal costs. This is because errors in delivering babies can cause lifelong damage, and personal injury payouts therefore reflect the long-lasting medical attention required.
If you have suffered an injury as a result of medical negligence, call the National Accident Helpline today and speak to an expert about whether you could make a medical negligence claim.
