§ Baroness Greengrossasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, as part of the reform of medical negligence procedures, responsibility to settle small claims up to £15,000 will be given to the National Health Service Litigation Authority; and [HL4918]
Whether they have decided not to allow small medical negligence claims to be handled by an independent dispute resolution service. [HL4919]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe Chief Medical Officer is presently investigating a range of options for reforming the way clinical negligence cases are handled. Neither the Chief Medical Officer nor Minsters have yet come to any final conclusions.
§ Baroness Greengrossasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether an independent evaluation has been or will be completed of the National Health Service Litigation Authority's work on medical negligence. [HL4921]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe National Audit Office reported on the National Health Service Litigation Authority's handling of claims in May 2001. A Public Accounts Committee hearing followed in October 2001 and the PAC published its report on this earlier this month.