MPs call for changes to compensation payment
MPs’ proposals to reform the way compensation costs are calculated in England have been welcomed by a defence body.
According to one defence body chief, the report into maternity safety from a House of Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee should be a wake-up call.
Dr Michael Devlin
Michael Devlin, head of professional standards and liaison at the Medical Defence Union (MDU), hoped the report would foster improvements and a learning culture where incidents are thoroughly investigated and lessons learned and shared.
He said: ‘We are particularly pleased to see the Committee recommend the Department of Health and Social Care removes “the need to compensate on the basis of private healthcare provision where appropriate NHS care is available; and that compensation is standardised against the national average wage”.’
This means repealing Section 2(4) of the 1948 Law Reform Act. The MDU has long advocated for these reforms which it argues would help restore much needed balance to the system of clinical claims litigation.