Negligence Claims - FOI Response Register

For each of the past five years:

1. How many claims for compensation due to medical negligence were received by the health board?

a) 2019/20           4

b) 2020/21           0

c) 2021/22           0

d) 2022/23           0

e) 2023/24           1

2. How many of these claims were paid out?

<5

3. What was the total value of these pay-outs?

Where we have given < 5 answers, this is because NHS Shetland considers that providing more specific information carries a high risk of identifying individuals. As such and in accordance with FOISA s 16(1), NHS Shetland confirms that it holds the information requested but that it is exempt from disclosure under FOISA s 38 (1) (b) as read with s 38 (2A) as the information constitutes personal data and disclosure would breach the confidentiality of the data subjects.

4. What was the highest paid claim amount in each year?

Claims are not typically paid out in the same financial year as they are received as they take time to reach conclusion. The highest pay out within the time period was £300,000 in 2022/23. However, this does not relate to any of the cases identified as received in the last five years requested.