State's €800m negligence bill

[Posted: Thu 28/06/2012 www.irishhealth.com]

The taxpayer could be facing a massive €850 million bill for outstanding medical negligence and other healthcare-related legal claims, according to the HSE CEO.

Cathal Magee told the Dail Public Accounts Committee today that an estimate the State's potential exposure under these claims in the future would be of the order of €750 million to €800 million.

The Committee was told the expected payout for claims this year under the State Claims Agency's was €96 million.

Mr Magee told the Committee that the HSE was looking at providing supports for patients, clients and staff at the point in the system when something untoward occurred, with the aim of mitigating or reducing the ultimate cost of healthcare legal claims.