HC Deb 18 July 2003 vol 409 cc929-30W
Mr. Betts

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Donaldson report into clinical negligence will be published. [126126]

Ms Rosie Winterton

I am pleased to confirm that on the 30 June 2003 we published Professor Sir Liam Donaldson's proposals for reform of the national health service clinical negligence system.

In his report, entitled "Making Amends", the Chief Medical Officer proposes a NHS redress scheme which would offer redress for injuries. The scheme would provide people who were injured with an explanation of what went wrong, the necessary apologies, treatment for that injury and support for patients and their families, as well as some financial compensation in appropriate cases. He also proposes that families of neurologically impaired babies would be eligible for the NHS redress scheme if the impairment was birth related and fulfilled other eligibility criteria.

The report is published for consultation and the consultation period will end on 17 October 2003. Following considerations of the issues raised and of the views of respondents on the specific questions asked, the Department of Health expects to set out the next steps to reform the clinical negligence system later this year or early in 2004.