Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Medical Director at Medical Protection Society, said:

“The Public Accounts Committee is right to highlight the eye-watering cost of NHS clinical negligence claims, the staggering amount of public money being spent on legal fees, and the inaction of successive governments on this issue.

“At a time when NHS finances are under strain, and there is much to be done to transform patient care and services, the Government simply cannot afford to do nothing. A comprehensive strategy - which balances fair compensation for patients and affordability for the NHS - is urgently needed following David Lock KC’s review.

“This strategy must iron out the many inequities and flaws in the system - not least disproportionate legal fees in lower-value claims, and the 80-year-old legislation which sets out that claims are settled based on how much a patient’s care would cost in the private sector, rather than in the NHS.”