MPS response to Public Accounts Committee report into NHS clinical negligence costs
Post date: 01/12/2017 | Time to read article: 1 minsThe information within this article was correct at the time of publishing. Last updated 14/11/2018
Commenting on the Public Accounts Committee report into NHS clinical negligence costs published today -
Director of Claims Policy and Legal at the Medical Protection Society, Emma Hallinan, said:
“The Public Accounts Committee is right to raise concerns about the rising cost of clinical negligence to the NHS. Since 2010/11 NHS spend has increased by 12% every year on average. If spend continues to increase at the same rate, the NHS could be paying out £3bn a year by 2021/22.
“We believe legal reform is needed to help achieve a balance between compensation that is reasonable, but also affordable. This must go hand in hand with continual improvements in patient safety to help prevent adverse events, and a shift to a more open, learning environment in healthcare where mistakes are routinely discussed and learned from.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
View the Public Accounts Committee report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmpubacc/397/39702.htmMPS launched its Striking a Balance campaign in June 2017, setting out a package of legal reforms to control the spiralling costs of clinical negligence and strike a balance between compensation that is reasonable, but also affordable. Find out more at www.medicalprotection.org/balance
For further information contact: E: [email protected] T: 0207 640 5290
