Medical negligence claims leap 60% in Wales

Medical negligence claims against the Welsh NHS have rocketed by 60 per cent in 2009-10, new data reveals.

The Western Mail reports a jump of £49 million year-on-year was observed, with some regional health boards seeing a 276 per cent increase in payouts.

Such medical negligence cases may result from a number of incidents, with spinal injury claims potentially among those seen by the country's health executives.

Out of seven boards, Cwm Taf was the worst hit by the trend, with the £1,879,000 paid out in 2008-09 surging to £7,065,000 during the following 12-month period.

Shadow Assembly health minister Nick Ramsay said the data was "startling", pointing out £800 million had been cut from the national health budget and such expenses were not tenable.

However, the politician accepted: "Where any medical negligence is proven, it’s right that patients are fairly compensated and measures taken to ensure the mistakes don’t happen again."

Published by Rose Orlik