Responding to the Department of Health’s announcement that it plans to cap excessive legal fees for clinical negligence claims, Emma Hallinan, Director of Claims and Litigation, Medical Protection Society said:
"It’s great that Government is tackling this important issue; a new approach is desperately needed. We have been calling for a fixed cost regime to help address the rising cost of clinical negligence, and it is fantastic to see that Government plans to cap excessive legal fees that are placing such a burden on the public purse.
"It is not unusual for us to see legal costs far exceed what the patient receives in compensation in small value claims – this is simply not right. Introducing fixed costs for small value claims will ensure that legal costs do not dwarf compensation payments, and the money can be spent on patient care instead.
"There are further actions that can be taken to make the cost of clinical negligence more affordable for society, but this is an excellent start and we look forward to working with the Department of Health on the detail of their new approach."
Further information
For further information please contact Kim Watson, Media Relations Manager at MPS on 0207 399 1428 or email [email protected]