§ Mr. Leeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many actions for negligence in the treatment of patients have been taken against regional hospital boards during the last five years; how many such actions concerned alleged negligence at hospitals in the West Midlands Hospital Board Area; and in how many such cases the actions were successful.
§ Mr. MoyleActions for alleged negligence involving hospital patients are usually made against area health authorities, of which there are 90 in England. Comprehensive information is not available centrally about the number and outcome of such actions and could not he obtained without disproportionate cost.