§ Mr. JackTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlie the rise in his Department's expenditure on medical negligence between 1996–97 and 1997–98. [6802]
§ Mr. MilburnIt is too early in the financial year for there to be any figures for 1997–98 with which to make comparisons. Estimated costs to the National Health Service of clinical negligence claims in fact fell in 1995–96 to £149.1 million from £160 million in 1994–95.
Increases in clinical negligence expenditure in previous years should not be taken as an indication that the National Health Service is failing. Rather, patients are developing a better understanding of the treatment and services available to them, and a greater awareness of their rights to compensation when something does, unfortunately, go wrong.