Millions in payouts to NHS patients
The NHS is paying out millions of pounds to patients across the Black Country and Staffordshire for clinical negligence claims, new figures revealed today.
They show that more than £4.5 million was paid out in compensation by Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in 2007/08. Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust paid out £2.9 million during the same period while The Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust had to shell out some £1.3 million.
Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, paid £513,967, Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, £48,442 and West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, £232,100.
Elsewhere, successful claims against Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust totalled £1.5 million, across the border they ran up to £1.9 million for Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, while Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust paid out £69,000.
The sums 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.
"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."
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 chief, 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."
