§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of alleged medical negligence by(a) NHS consultants and (b) general practitioners were awaiting settlement or court hearing at 30 March in each of the last six years. [23301]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonDetails of the number of cases of alleged medical negligence by NHS consultants awaiting either settlement or court hearing is available from 30 March 1991 only. The information available is set out in the table:
year Number of claims awaiting settlement at 30 March 1991 194 1992 214 1993 222 1994 178 1995 93 Information on general medical practitioners is not collected centrally. They are independent contractors and as such insure themselves.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average time taken for an alleged medical negligence case to be settled; and if he will make a statement on how this average time has changed over the past six years. [22302]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe length of time taken to settle claims on medical negligence will vary depending on the nature of the case. If agreement is reached before the case goes to court, it can be settled within six to nine months of the claim being lodged. Where the claim is determined by the courts, the average time taken to reach a conclusion is around five years. Both averages have remained relatively static since 1990, when information on settlements was first collected centrally.