Report: NHS negligence claims bill reaches nearly 30m pounds

Nearly 30 million pounds has been spent to settle NHS clinical negligence claims made in the last 12 months, it has been reported.

Health minister Ann Keen stated more than 18 million pounds had been paid out in damages, while an additional 10 million pounds was spent on legal costs, to the year ending in September.

A total of 18,217,815 pounds were spent on settling 2,262 cases – with an average payout of slightly more than £8,000.

More than half the 4,593 cases formally claimed in the 2007-8 year have yet to be settled, with 2,331 outstanding, the Press Association reports.

Some 7,878,866 pounds were spent on legal costs, with 2,272,344 pounds on defence legal payments.

In a written House of Commons answer to Mike Penning, the shadow health minister, Ms Keen said the claims were made against the NHS body providing the care.

She added the data was from the NHS Litigation Authority and did not include any claims against self-employed contractors in primary care.

In other news, secretary of state for health Alan Johnson recently praised the NHS for its work in response to the Healthcare Commission’s annual report.

“The progress being made by the NHS at both ends of the scale means real benefits for patients in the quality of care they receive,” he said.