NHS: Negligence
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of the high ratio of legal costs to damages in low value clinical negligence claims, as highlighted by the NAO, and what steps it is taking to reduce these costs.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last ten years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.
Although forecasts remain uncertain, it is likely that the costs of clinical negligence will continue to grow substantially. As the question describes, the Government Actuary’s Department forecasts that annual payments for compensation and legal costs will increase from £3.1 billion in 2024/25 to £4.1 billion by 2029/30.
As announced in the 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC is providing expert policy advice on the rising costs of clinical negligence and how we can improve patients’ experience of claims. That work is ongoing, following initial advice to ministers and the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports.
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