Medical negligence due to lack of NHS funds

Negligence worries - Article by Ken Thomas (specialist medical negligence lawyer with South Wales solicitors Harding Evans) writing in the Western Mail on 7 January 2008

Ken says that in the course of his work as a medical negligence lawyer he routinely speaks to medical experts. Over the years, many have hinted strongly, or have said – sometimes quite bluntly and expressly – that medical errors can in part be attributed to lack of money in the NHS. Some of those errors can be gross and even fatal.

But is lack of financial resources a root cause of clinical negligence? Ken thinks it is fair to say that it may well be a factor in some medical mistakes. However, lack of resources is rarely, if ever put forward as an outright excuse or explanation for a failure of care. Put simply, lack of money would not be an attractive defence in court.

Ken makes the point that even in a well-funded healthcare system, mistakes will occur. But over-stretched resources and under-staffed teams cannot help in this regard.

My opinion is that an organisation the size of the NHS can not say they don't have resources. They may not have enough to do everything they want to, but that is different. It is not a lack of resources that cause errors, but it may well be poor prioritisation or organisation.

It is probably quite correct for the NHS to say they would like more money, but that will always be the case. I am pretty sure there is a lot of waste in the system at present, and reducing this should be a priority. I think the NHS can learn a lot from other industries, but they seem unable or unwilling to do this to any great extent.

Andy Brazier