GPs could face £44m in Covid negligence claims, NHS Resolution warns

Acc. to the recent report, The NHS Resolution warns that General Practice could face £44m in Covid negligence claims. A spokesperson has said that out of a forecast £885m total new claims due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an estimated £44m may come through the clinical negligence scheme for general practice (CNSGP) in 2020/21. The NHSR also adds that Trusts are expected to face negligence claims of £665m.

The spokesperson said that the NHS Resolution has not yet received any Covid-specific claims emphasizing that the figures are ‘broad estimates’ as at the time of estimating the financial impact of Covid-19 for NHS Resolution’s annual report.

In their words, ‘‘Actual experience may differ quite considerably from the estimates we provided for in our 2020/21 accounts, but it will be several years before we are likely to be able to confirm that, due to the time lag between incidents occurring, claims being received, and then being settled, particularly for clinical negligence claims.’’

The annual NHSR report for 2020/21, which was published in July, estimated that in the following year, ‘new potential sources of claims’ arising from the pandemic could come up to the region of £900m. However, the report says that because of the pandemic and clinical work being cancelled, there would be lower numbers of claims. It expects that claims will be reduced by around £400m meaning that the net expected impact of the pandemic on claims made against the NHS will be £500m.

Dr Caroline Fryar, head of advisory services at the Medical Defense Union (MDU), said the forecasts made by NHS Resolution are ‘concerning, although not surprising’. She also adds that it is likely that claims will come in after people have forgotten the sacrifices made by medical professionals.

Additionally, she said that MDU has supported members with nearly 7,000 complaints and adverse incidents since the first lockdown in March 2020. Although the number isn’t an increase in numbers before the pandemic period, the number is surprising especially as the public understands and sympathizes with healthcare professionals and also because processes for complaints were paused during the peak of the pandemic. 

A survey conducted earlier this year by MPS showed that 77% of GPs (that is almost 4 in 5 GPs) in the UK expressed concerns about being investigated should patients suffer harm as a result of delayed referrals or unavailability of non-Covid-19 services. This comes as the MDU had very busy months earlier this year seeing a 23% increase in the number of GPs it is supporting with complaints and claims made against them.

How Can We Help With Covid Negligence Claims and GP Negligence?

It is no news that the pandemic has had adverse impacts on the UK healthcare system. A lot of attention and resources have been channeled towards fighting the pandemic, infection control, treatment of covid patients as well as finding vaccines. This has meant that non-covid patients have suffered as some have had their treatment either cancelled or suspended, tests delayed indefinitely, some have had their referrals delayed, clinical trials stopped and so on.

This is why there are concerns over an increase in claims arising from unavailability or limitation of non-covid services. Several patients will suffer harm, or other health complications due to delayed, cancelled or suspended treatment, delayed referrals and delay in carrying out relevant tests. Patients may now require more invasive treatment procedures due to these delays as their health condition deteriorates while some may have their life span shortened.

We are here to help you make claims if you or your loved one has suffered unnecessary delays in carrying out treatment, surgery, tests or clinical trials leading to harm, pain or complications.

Start Your Claim

You can therefore, make a medical negligence claim if GP negligence has caused you to suffer;

• Preventable health complications
• Delays to carrying out your treatment, surgery or relevant tests
• Poor treatment or substandard care
• Wrong diagnosis, late diagnosis or missed diagnosis
• Wrong treatment or errors in medications among others

At MND, we have specialist GP negligence solicitors who have years of experience dealing and representing clients of different backgrounds with their medical negligence claims. 

Our solicitors are friendly, approachable, dedicated, understanding and empathetic. During our free consultation sessions, we discuss extensively with our clients to understand their story and make a proper evaluation if they have valid claims. We then proceed to give legal advice and support them in whatever way they require to ensure their burden at such a difficult time is lightened.

Our solicitors are well experienced having won best possible compensation payouts for our clients over the years. We will ensure that we assist you make available all the documents you need to prove your claims and demonstrate that you were indeed a victim of medical negligence.

We go further to make things easier for you by representing you with our No Win No Fee policy where you can make claims without having to pay us before we start representing you. We will only have to deduct 25% of your total compensation fee when your case is won. If your claim was unsuccessful which rarely happens, you do not have to pay a dime.

Please do not put off making your claims, instead come to us for professional legal representation. You can fill out our online Free Claims Assessment Form and one of our solicitors will contact you to set up a meeting and discuss your claims at your earliest convenience.