Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of NHS clinical negligence liability over the last 10 years.

NHS Resolution manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHS Resolution has supplied the following information.

Notes:

- The values included above include all four clinical schemes managed by NHS Resolution – Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts, Existing Liabilities Scheme, Ex-Regional Health Authority and Department for Health and Social Care clinical.

- The ‘clinical negligence liability’ is known as the provision in accounting terms. The provision represents the estimated value of all known claims, together with an actuarial estimate of those incurred but not yet reported, which are claims which may be brought in the future but have not yet (and may not) be brought and which may settle or be withdrawn over future years.

The year-on-year rises in clinical negligence costs are eating into resources available for front-line care; this is unsustainable. This is despite our substantial safety programmes.

The Department is working intensively with the Ministry of Justice, other Government departments and NHS Resolution, all of whom are committed to addressing this issue.

This is a complicated issue and the work is ongoing. We will bring forward a publication in due course.