What is the annual cost to the NHS of clinical negligence solicitor fees?
Clinical negligence solicitors are sadly and, in some cases, tragically, the only option of civil redress for people who have suffered negligence at the hands of medical staff in NHS hospitals. Invariably, cases of this nature are exceedingly complex and involve a great deal of research and expertise. This complexity is well reflected in the fact that the annual legal fees bill received by the NHS is in excess of £90 million. Predictably, the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA), is quick to blame “no win, no fee” clinical negligence solicitors for this financial burden. Steve Walker, chief executive of the NHSLA, comments, “Solicitors are not doing anything illegal, but it is pretty unattractive that these fees are being charged. “There is no reason why they should be vastly different from what we pay our own legal teams, but they are. “Their argument is that they have a higher mark up because there is a risk they will end up with nothing, but in reality they cherry-pick the cases they ar
