MDU claims negligence system faces disaster
The Medical Defence Union has voiced concern that the amount of money earmarked to cover clinical negligence claims against the NHS has risen to an ‘astonishing’ £86bn.
Dr Michael Devlin, its head of standards and liaison, said a Treasury report showed provision for clinical negligence claims in England was worth £3,600 for every household, compared to £700 ten years ago.
He said a House of Commons’ Health and Social Care Select Committee report, which included evidence of a system on the brink of disaster, found the system for compensating injured patients in England was unfit for purpose, being grossly expensive, adversarial and promoting individual blame instead of collective learning.
‘It is vital that the Select Committee’s warning is heeded and that the Government quickly moves ahead with the legal reforms that are necessary.’