Being a token of socialist excellence and symbol of left-wing pride, the NHS is adored by millions of Brits. World class healthcare at a rate that’s practically unpaid for is a perk most people on the planet would crave. However, we’re not most people. And moreover, our National Health Service hasn’t come without its controversies. The most recent – and amongst the most worrying – is the recent significant rise in clinical negligence claim bills. This article will take a look at this rise and present the facts and figures for what is an embarrassing problem for the NHS.
Facts and Figures
Men lie, numbers don’t; and so on that note it is most necessary that the facts and figures behind the rise in Clinical Negligence Bills are presented.
The Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust was forced pay over £5million in clinical negligence bills. This is some £4million more than the amount paid in 2009/10. Furthermore, West Suffolk Hospital paid a trumping £4.6million in fees within the last year, which trumps the £1.25million paid in 2010/11 and annihilates the mere £700,000 paid out in 2009/10.
Furthermore, blunders by staff at Ipswich Hospital’s maternity unit alone amounted to £4.5million! That’s almost the compensation claim bill figure of the whole of Suffolk Hospital. In fact, the bill for blunders in the NHS’s maternity wards has actually nearly doubled in a year and now stands at £420million.
The majority of such maternity ward compensation costs covered mistakes made by staffs that have resulted in a baby dying or suffering brain damage or disability. Incidents of mothers injured during labour also increased the NHS’s compensation bills significantly.
No Win, No Fee
While it is clear that regardless of the health institution and its standards, blunders will always occur, such a significant rise is alarming. However, it has been suggested that the major upturn in “no win, no fee” clinical negligence solicitors within recent times has also had an important effect on the amount of claims being made.
The link between the rise in clinical negligence solicitors offering “no win, no fee” support has undeniably had an effect in the amount of claims put forth by patients, with the correlation between the two being too intertwined to be a significance.
Nevertheless, a thorough investigation is needed to determine the underlying cause behind the rise in compensation claim bills for the NHS. What is clear is that the NHS needs protecting through progress; and the more such embarrassing controversy surrounds our health care institution, the more those on the right-wing will try and attack what is, a socialist marvel.
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