§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of medical negligence were settled, and what was the total cost of damages awarded together with legal costs, in each year since 1990–91, by region.
§ Mr. MaloneI refer the hon. member to the figures that my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough 41W (Dr. Mawhinney) gave him on 14 March, columns 535–36 and on 10 May 1994, columns 84–85, which are reproduced in the first table. As was made clear at the time, these figures were based on information which was not comprehensive and in particular do not include data from National Health Service trusts, which will form an increasingly large proportion of the total. We have therefore developed an alternative method of estimating the total costs of clinical negligence to the NHS, based on
Table 1: Number and Costs to the NHS of Clinical Negligence Settlements by Region 1990–91 Old estimates 1991–92 1992–93 Region Cases Cost £000 Cases Cost £000 Cases Cost £000 Northern 109 1,613 207 3,310 344 3,395 Yorkshire 152 4,604 111 3,302 49 1,720 Trent 73 2,611 119 2,069 105 2,953 East Anglian 38 1,359 88 1,737 37 3,295 North West Thames 89 8,551 221 6,954 183 6,209 North East Thames 136 8,464 108 5,888 76 1,624 South East Thames n/k 6,118 106 7,113 117 5,714 South West Thames 104 3,233 90 4,663 64 2,543 Wessex 52 1,525 51 919 72 681 Oxford 231 2,257 131 3,339 113 917 South Western 56 2,104 83 2,872 56 3,517 West Midlands 154 3,157 145 2,573 165 3,661 Mersey 218 1,421 108 1,002 192 3,622 North Western 183 2,580 145 4,730 160 4,457 SHAs 23 3,639 38 877 5 752 Estimates based on annual health authority returns.
Table 2: Costs to the NHS of clinical negligence settlements by region (New estimates) £ million Authority RHA 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95(provisional) Northern 5.4 7.6 — Yorkshire 5.9 5.7 — Trent 5.4 6.0 — East Anglia 4.0 4.3 — North West Thames 10.8 7.8 — North East Thames 10.5 10.9 — South East Thames 4.1 19.7 — South West Thames 3.2 6.1 — Wessex 0.1 0.3 — Oxford 4.2 4.2 — South Western 6.3 6.5 — West Midlands 4.5 7.1 — Mersey 6.4 3.7 — North Western 9.4 10.0 — Northern and Yorkshire — 12.9 21.0 Trent — 6.0 6.7 Anglia and Oxford — 9.0 19.2 North Thames — 18.1 26.3 South Thames — 25.9 16.0 South and West — 6.8 10.0 West Midlands — 7.1 10.2 North West — 14.1 15.7 Note:
Estimates based on quarterly financial returns. Figures for special health authorities are included in the relevant Thames Region.