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Ministry of Defence

Answer

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each year since 1990 his Department received complaints from service personnel or their families of medical negligence by military medical staff, stating in each case (a) whether the complaint was upheld by his Department in the first instance, (b) whether the complaint was upheld after recourse to legal proceedings and (c) how much compensation was paid; and if he will make a statement. [138289] Dr. Moonie: A central record of complaints from service personnel and their families alleging medical negligence is kept only of those cases where compensation is being sought. However, prior to 1996-97 such claims were not recorded separately from other common law claims for compensation. The vast majority of the claims detailed in the table have been the subject of legal proceedings, but this does not necessarily mean that they were all heard in court. The majority of claims are settled amicably on a legal liability basis without recourse to the courts. The payment of compensation does not necessarily occur in the financial year that the claim was received. Medical negligence claims and costs _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 Number of medical negligence 243 308 255 147 claims received Number of medical negligence 58 58 112 79 claims for which compensation was paid Compensation paid (£) 2,766,821 3,545,060 9,816,803 9,688,420 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Complaints procedures are available to service personnel and their families wishing to complain of medical negligence by military medical personnel. My Department aims to deal with any such complaints in a fair and timely manner.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

356 c666W; 138289

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Complaints Compensation Armed forces Health professions Negligence

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk