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Government looks at ways to reduce the cost of NHS negligence claims

BMJ 2011; 342 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d1131 (Published 18 February 2011) Cite this as: BMJ 2011;342:d1131
  1. Clare Dyer
  1. 1BMJ

Plans to scrap legal aid for clinical negligence claims and make major changes to the costs rules in litigation should save the NHS £50m (€60m; $80m) a year, the ministry of justice estimates.

Sarah Albon, director for civil, family and legal aid policy at the ministry, told MPs on the Commons health select committee: “We do feel . . . that the balance of costs had shifted too far in favour of claimants.”

The committee, which is carrying out an inquiry into NHS complaints and litigation, heard that complaints against NHS trusts were …

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