The NHS is paying out nearly £2 million to patients in Shropshire for clinical negligence claims, new figures reveal.
The statistics show that more than £1.9 million was paid in compensation by Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust in 2007/08.
And the total sum paid out could be even higher because legal fees are not included in the data released by the Department of Health.
Nationally, the amount paid out in compensation hit the £358 million mark in 2007/08.
Liberal Democrat spokesman Norman Lamb said: “This is a massive challenge for the NHS.
“We are living in an increasingly litigious society. These payouts are taking money away from patient care.
“There must be a focus on establishing systems that keep patients safe and prevent negligence happening in the first place.
He added: “The Government must re-examine the system to ensure that compensation goes to those who have genuinely suffered, but prevents the risk of a compensation bandwagon developing.”
Claims
A spokesman for the Health of Department said: “The NHS sees a million people every 36 hours. The vast majority receive safe care.”
Compensation is paid to patients through the NHS Litigation Authority.
Its head Steve Walker said: “The number of people making claims has remained fairly static.”
He added: “Figures can also be massively distorted by two or three very high-value claims. These are often settled many years after the event, and they even out over time.
“People talk about compensation culture but that doesn’t exist in the NHS.”
He went on: “We do not see fraudulent claims.”
Trish Rowson, Director of Service Delivery at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said: “During 2007/08 we saw nearly half a million patient episodes, and only a very small proportion of these lead to claims or litigation.
“The quality of patient care is our top priority, and we use independent assessments such as the national Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts to help us maintain and improve our systems for keeping patients safe.
“During 2008 we achieved Level 3 in this independent assessment, the highest level possible, for our maternity services. We also maintained Level 2 for our general hospital services.
“These assessments look carefully at the way that we manage clinical risk and keep patients safe, so that we can focus our resources on providing patient care.”
By Sunita Patel
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3 Comments
Pity they can’t get their act together!
We pay enough tax.
Welcome to Medocre Britain.
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Would it not be prudent to increase staff to ward off this expence?
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Its a shame the hospitals can’t have a disclaimer – “Prospective patients enter at your own risk”, then people would have a choice, either go to hospital and have the doctors and nurses do their best to cure them, or stay home and go without hospital treatment. I for one am sick and tired of the ‘claim claim claim’ culture that is ruining our society.
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