National trends and cost of litigation in UK National Health Service (NHS): a specialty-specific analysis from the past decade (6 November 2021)

Summary

Medical litigation claim and costs in UK are rising. This study from Lane, Bhome and Somani analysed the 10-year trend in litigation costs for individual clinical specialties in the UK from 2009/10 to 2018/19.

The authors concluded that addressing the issue of litigations is complex. Medically there are speciality specific issues that require attention, whilst some general measures are common to all: effective communication, setting realistic targets and maintaining a motivated, adequately staffed workforce. These, alongside legal reforms, may reduce the financial burden of increasing litigation on the NHS.

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