Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to the NHS of resolving problems which have occurred during treatment in the private health sector; and what plans they have to ensure that such costs are recovered by the NHS.

No assessment has been made. There is no general provision which allows the National Health Service to recover the costs of problems which have occurred during treatment in the private health sector. Where a private sector hospital or surgeon has been negligent and that negligence results in a damages claim against the party concerned, there is provision for the NHS hospital which subsequently treated the patient to recover specified monetary amounts from the compensator up to a specific maximum, which is currently £54,682 for care and treatment.