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NHS: Negligence

Volume 489: debated on Wednesday 11 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) to the 11 firms on the NHSLA panel for clinical cases for their services (a) on behalf of the NHSLA and (b) provided to claimants in each year since 1996-97. (262044)

The NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) panel solicitors do not provide services to claimants therefore the amount paid by the NHSLA for clinical cases for their services provided to claimants is zero.

Providing data specifically for panel solicitors or for years prior to 1999 would be at disproportionate cost because the information is not readily accessible. Additionally, it is difficult to compare using information prior to 2002-03 because excess levels were operated on schemes, which means the data held do not cover all claims.

However, the NHSLA has provided the following table. The NHSLA does not have defence costs recorded prior to 1999 due to a change in accounting systems. Additionally, the NHSLA only records data by year for overall defence costs, which include barrister and medical expert fees alongside panel solicitors’ fees.

NHSLA defence legal costs paid per year by scheme

£000

Clinical negligence scheme for trusts

Existing liabilities scheme

Ex-regional health authorities

Total clinical

1999-2000

2,166

22,435

691

25,292

2000-01

7,223

1185,651

765

193,639

2001-02

111,954

27,358

492

39,804

2002-03

35,919

21,905

398

58,222

2003-04

39,829

10,705

276

50,810

2004-05

40,016

12,206

206

52,428

2005-06

44,146

12,355

286

56,787

2006-07

43,334

10,162

244

53,740

2007-08

43,778

9,123

194

53,095

1 The NHSLA operated excess levels on two clinical schemes whereby trusts themselves handled and funded claims below the excess levels. The NHSLA does not hold data related to these claims. Excess levels for each of the two schemes were removed in the marked years and outstanding claims below excess were then fully funded by the schemes. These years therefore include reimbursement by the NHSLA of legal costs already paid by trusts against those claims. It will also include legal costs associated with solicitors not on the NHSLA’s panel because trusts were originally handling some of those claims themselves and will have appointed their own solicitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical negligence cases were open on the NHS Litigation Authority database at the most recent date for which figures are available; and how many of them are being funded by (a) legal aid, (b) conditional fee agreements, (c) before the event insurance, (d) private means and (e) other means. (262745)

The information requested was obtained from the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) and is provided in the following table. Claimants are not required to provide details of their funding arrangements, but the NHSLA records this where it is known.

Number of clinical negligence claims open as at 28 February 2009

Claimant funding

Total

Before the Event Insurance

847

Conditional Fee Arrangement

3,743

Legal Services Commission

4,697

Self-funded

798

Unknown

1,453

Grand total

11,538

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical negligence cases were brought in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of them were funded by (a) legal aid, (b) conditional fee agreements, (c) before the event insurance, (d) private means and (e) other means. (262746)

The information requested was obtained from the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) and is provided in the following table. Claimants are not required to provide details of their funding arrangements, but the NHSLA records this where it is known.

Number of clinical negligence claims received in 2007-08 as at 28 February 2009

Claimant funding

Total

Before the Event Insurance

418

Conditional Fee Arrangement

1,896

Legal Services Commission

1,209

Self-funded

679

Unknown

1,014

Grand total

5,216

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical negligence cases were closed by the NHS Litigation Authority in the last year for which figures are available; how many of them were funded by (a) legal aid, (b) conditional fee agreements, (c) before the event insurance, (d) private means and (e) other means; and how many cases in each category of funding resulted in an award of damages or a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages. (262747)

The information requested was obtained from the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) and is provided in the following table. Claimants are not required to provide details of their funding arrangements, but the NHSLA records this where it is known.

Number of clinical negligence claims closed in 2007-08 as at 28 February 2009

Claimant funding

Damages awarded

No damages

Grand total

Before the Event Insurance

287

91

378

Conditional Fee Arrangement

1,132

438

1,570

Legal Services Commission

1,133

803

1,936

Self-funded

425

286

711

Unknown

495

1,089

1,584

Grand total

3,472

2,707

6,179