NHS: Negligence
(asked on 27th March 2018) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written answers by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 22 March (HL6196 and HL6197), how many clinical injury claims against the NHS were resolved with payment of damages (1) before the issue of proceedings, and (2) after the issue of proceedings, in each of the last five years.
NHS Resolution handles clinical negligence claims on behalf of National Health Service organisations and independent sector providers of NHS care in England.
NHS Resolution has provided the following information:
The following table indicates the number of clinical claims closed 2012/13 to 2016/17 with damages paid as at the end of each respective closure year:
Year of Closure | Pre Litigated | Litigated |
2012/13 | 3,501 | 2,009 |
2013/14 | 3,377 | 2,202 |
2014/15 | 3,485 | 2,291 |
2015/16 | 3,281 | 2,514 |
2016/17 | 3,758 | 3,217 |
Cases resolved following court proceedings include those where the issue of proceedings has been required in order to obtain court approval of the settlement, such as children or those who are under a legal disability such as a brain injury.
The figures provided do not include claims brought against general practitioners, who are covered by separate indemnity arrangements through medical defence organisations and for which data is not centrally available.