The BBC reports that the NHS in England faces paying out £4.3bn in legal fees to settle outstanding claims of clinical negligence, the BBC has learned through a Freedom of Information request.
Each year the NHS receives more than 10,000 new claims for compensation.
This figure includes all current unsettled claims and projected estimates of ones in the future.
The Department of Health has pledged to tackle “the unsustainable rise in the cost of clinical negligence”.
Estimates published last year put the total cost of outstanding compensation claims at £83bn. NHS England’s total budget in 2018-19 was £129bn.
NHSR which handles clinical negligence claims has set up a mediation panel but uptake could be increased. Not all cases go to mediation. They are going out to tender for the panel of mediators in 2020.
NHS faces huge clinical negligence legal fees bill
Doctors’ groups say the current system is not fit for purpose and requires “fundamental” reform.
Read in BBC News: https://apple.news/AlRwY_7xsSUSXZutaKy23Aw