Sussex NHS compensation bill set to skyrocket after large payout warns MDU
The amount being paid out to compensate patients with clinical negligence claims on behalf of Brighton and Sussex hospitalscould increase dramatically next year, a medical indemnity body has warned.
Over £38 million was paid out on behalf of Brighton and Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust by the NHS Litigation Authority to compensate patients and pay legal fees over the three years to March 2015, with £8.5 million paid in 2014/15. Earlier this week a disabled boy was reportedly awarded £11.5 million in compensation against Royal Sussex County Hospital in one case alone, so it is likely the amount paid out by the Trust in 2015/16 will be significantly higher.
The Medical Defence Union (MDU), the leading indemnifier of UK doctors, said urgent action is needed to prevent spiralling increases in multi-million pound compensation awards affecting NHS hospitals.
Dr Michael Devlin, MDU head of professional standards and liaison, said:
“It is important to make it clear that the size of payments is no reflection on patient safety or on clinical standards. Compensation awards are so high because they reflect the money the NHS has to pay to fund private health and social care for negligently damaged patients.
“Of course it is only right that patients who have been negligently harmed are properly compensated so their future health and social care needs are met. But we are seeing an increasing number of multi-million pound claims paid out on behalf of English hospitals. In the year ending 31 March 2015, over £1 billion was paid out in total on behalf of all English hospitals. This staggering amount means there is less money for care of other patients at a time when the NHS is facing unprecedented demand and pressure on costs.
"This is not a sustainable situation for the NHS or for taxpayers, who are footing these bills. Currently defendant bodies like the NHS litigation authority and the MDU are prevented from compensating on the basis that care will be provided by the NHS and local authorities. We would like to see this change and for the government to take urgent action to tackle the problem of spiralling damages awards so that money can be retained in the NHS for the benefit of all patients. "
