§ Lord Colwynasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the total cost of clinical negligence claims in the National Health Service in England for each year from 1990 to 2000. [HL312]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathFigures on the amounts included in the National Audit Summarised Accounts for clinical negligence expenditure for the latest available years are as follows:
- 1996–97: £235 million
- 1997–98: £144 million
- 1998–99: £221 million
- 1999–2000: £373 million.
SourceNational Health Service Summarised accounts for health authorities, NHS trusts and NHS Litigation Authority.
Figures prior to 1996–97 are not available because clinical negligence was not separately identified in the accounts prior to that date. Changes to accounting policies mean that these amounts are not directly comparable.
§ Lord Colwynasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans the Secretary of State for Health has to reduce the cost of clinical negligence in the National Health Service in England. [HL313]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathWe announced on 10 July that we will produce a White Paper, for publication early next year, which will set out our plans for the reform of the system for dealing with clinical negligence claims within the National Health Service.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Liam Donaldson, will chair a committee to explore a range of potential options for making the system faster and fairer for all concerned. The committee, which will include clinicians and patient representatives, will consult on the proposals with a view to publishing a White Paper setting out the Government's reform programme early next year.