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NI health negligence claims cost £116m over five years | NI health negligence claims cost £116m over five years |
(about 1 hour later) | |
It has cost Northern Ireland's Department of Health £116m to settle legal claims for clinical and social care negligence over the past five years. | It has cost Northern Ireland's Department of Health £116m to settle legal claims for clinical and social care negligence over the past five years. |
The figure is in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the safety of health services in NI. | The figure is in a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General on the safety of health services in NI. |
It also found health staff reported about 83,000 "adverse incidents" across the five health trusts each year. | It also found health staff reported about 83,000 "adverse incidents" across the five health trusts each year. |
These are when a patient was unexpectedly harmed or put at risk. | These are when a patient was unexpectedly harmed or put at risk. |
Further costs | Further costs |
The report stated that staff are still under-reporting such events, particularly in hospitals, and it criticised the lack of a regional system to evaluate and learn from adverse incidents. | The report stated that staff are still under-reporting such events, particularly in hospitals, and it criticised the lack of a regional system to evaluate and learn from adverse incidents. |
In addition to the £116m it has cost the department, the report reveals that it could cost a further £136m to meet the costs of active negligence claims currently in the system, according to Department of Heath estimates. | In addition to the £116m it has cost the department, the report reveals that it could cost a further £136m to meet the costs of active negligence claims currently in the system, according to Department of Heath estimates. |
The Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland (C&AG), Kieran Donnelly, is the head of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO). | The Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland (C&AG), Kieran Donnelly, is the head of the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO). |
He is responsible for checking the accounts of government bodies and Stormont departments, ensuring that they are providing value for money through their expenditure. | He is responsible for checking the accounts of government bodies and Stormont departments, ensuring that they are providing value for money through their expenditure. |
In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Donnelly said that overall, health and social care (HSC) trusts in Northern Ireland provide "high standards of care". | In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Donnelly said that overall, health and social care (HSC) trusts in Northern Ireland provide "high standards of care". |
However, he said the reduction of "adverse incidents that cause, or could have caused unexpected harm to patients and clients" remained a core responsibility for the trusts and the Department of Health. | However, he said the reduction of "adverse incidents that cause, or could have caused unexpected harm to patients and clients" remained a core responsibility for the trusts and the Department of Health. |
'Fear of blame' | 'Fear of blame' |
The comptroller said two factors were "crucial" to ensuring that was achieved. | The comptroller said two factors were "crucial" to ensuring that was achieved. |
The first was the "establishment of a culture in which incidents can be reported easily, honestly, and without fear of blame". | The first was the "establishment of a culture in which incidents can be reported easily, honestly, and without fear of blame". |
The second, Mr Donnelly said, was "the ability to ensure that lessons learned from these incidents are successfully taken on board by HSC staff". | The second, Mr Donnelly said, was "the ability to ensure that lessons learned from these incidents are successfully taken on board by HSC staff". |
He added that although "significant progress" had been made by the Department of Health and the trusts in both these areas, he concluded that there was "more to be done". | He added that although "significant progress" had been made by the Department of Health and the trusts in both these areas, he concluded that there was "more to be done". |
Of the total £116m negligence claims bill, £77m was paid out in compensation while the remaining £39m went towards legal and administrative costs. | Of the total £116m negligence claims bill, £77m was paid out in compensation while the remaining £39m went towards legal and administrative costs. |
The chair of the assembly's Public Accounts Committee, Michaela Boyle, said making a claim is often a last resort. | |
"The report does identify that the department could look at the introduction of informal dispute resolutions that offer a viable alternative to litigation for families," she said. | |
"A lot more work needs to be done to ensure that the department looks at an open culture to encourage the reporting of adverse incidents." | |
'True cost' | 'True cost' |
The NIAO said the cost of negligence settlements "provides some idea of how patient and client harm can add to the financial pressure on HSC services. | The NIAO said the cost of negligence settlements "provides some idea of how patient and client harm can add to the financial pressure on HSC services. |
"However, the true cost of adverse incidents remains unknown because the treatment costs of remedying the harm caused to patients or clients are not routinely measured," the office added. | "However, the true cost of adverse incidents remains unknown because the treatment costs of remedying the harm caused to patients or clients are not routinely measured," the office added. |
The report also found "considerable variation" in how the skills and knowledge of workers were appraised across HSC staff groups. | The report also found "considerable variation" in how the skills and knowledge of workers were appraised across HSC staff groups. |
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