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NHS: Compensation

Volume 687: debated on Monday 11 December 2006

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What has been the total compensation paid to patients and families in the past five years as a result of litigation against National Health Service obstetricians alleging brain damage during pregnancy or parturition resulting from negligent clinical care. [HL328]

It is not possible to differentiate claims made against obstetricians and midwife-led teams. The table shows the payments in the past five years for all claims where the injury was either brain damage or cerebral palsy.

Payments made over the past five years on obstetrics, obstetrics/gynaecology, community midwifery and antenatal clinic claims where the injury was either brain damage or cerebral palsy

Payment Year

Compensation

2001-02

320,447,750

2002-03

174,476,205

2003-04

105,608,870

2004-05

173,148,369

2005-06

188,792,357

Total

962,473,551

Note: In 2001-02, claims under the clinical negligence scheme for trusts were centralised and payments include reimbursements to trusts for interim amounts made on cases not yet resolved.