Medical negligence claims to rise with cutbacks?

Published on 30 Jun 2010 under category: legal

Medical negligence claims could increase in the UK as calls grow for the government to stop ring-fencing funds for the NHS.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has said that spending cuts are being targeted most at the public sector, despite blame for the recession lying elsewhere.

Dr Hamish Meldrum, BMA's chairman, said at the organisation's annual conference this week: "At a time of recession, of increasing unemployment, of greater hardship and greater stress, the public needs more doctors, not less."

However, he expressed support for the government's cost-cutting drive, despite a report published last week (June 27th) which claimed that the NHS was already feeling the impact of cuts.

According to the BMA survey, close to three-quarters (72 per cent) of professionals surveyed said that clinical service and infrastructure developments had already been postponed.

In addition, two in five had already seen access to therapies and treatments being restricted for patients.

This could give rise to more claims of medical negligence, as patients' treatments are delayed.

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