Samantha Jones's response to the questions into the costs of clinical negligence (raised at at the Public Accounts Committee hearing on 20th November 2025)

Summary

In this letter, Samantha Jones OBE Permanent Secretary Department of Health and Social Care writes in response to the questions at the Public Accounts Committee hearing on 20th November 2025 into the costs of clinical negligence.

The letter responds to the following unanswered questions on the topic of clinical negligence only:

1) Never events: How often do they result in clinical negligence claims?  

2) Complaints: How quickly are complaints responded to, and is that data 

published?  

3) Inquests: Will the use of conditional fee agreements in inquests impact 

patient safety? 

Also included are sections where she shares insights on:

4) General Practice Indemnity (GPI) schemes five-year financial forecasts. 

5) Detail on work ongoing to engage firms on the transparency of conditional. 

fee agreements between claimants and their solicitors.