Medical Litigation: Impact on Medical Innovation

Lord Mawhinney Excerpts

Monday 15th July 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Mawhinney]

My Lords, by how much are litigation figures reduced by the intervention of mediators or arbitrators?

[Earl Howe]

I cannot give my noble friend a figure for that, but I can tell him that mediation and arbitration are increasing features in cases of this kind. We are very keen for that mechanism to grow, because the more that cases get into the hands of lawyers—I say this with great respect to noble Lords who are lawyers—the higher the bill to the NHS and the more distress there is to patients and families.