Committee publication · Correspondence · 21 May 2026
Letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care relating to Cost of clinical negligence, 21 May 2026
From: Public Accounts Committee
Inquiry: Costs of clinical negligence
Summary
The Public Accounts Committee writes to the Department for Health and Social Care's Permanent Secretary regarding its Treasury Minute response to the Committee's report on clinical negligence costs. While acknowledging the Department's recognition that long-term growth in clinical negligence liabilities is unsustainable, the Committee remains concerned the response lacks sufficient assurance that proposed actions will slow cost growth, and requests further clarity on governance arrangements, patient safety measurement, and specific maternity care actions by 22 June 2026.
Key findings
- The Committee welcomes the Department's acknowledgement that long-term growth in clinical negligence liabilities is unsustainable, but believes the Government could do more to prevent claims.
- The Committee seeks clarification on what will be different in practice for patient safety following the proposed governance, oversight and safety arrangements, and how impact will be measured.
- The Committee requests specific information on actions to reduce harm incidence and claim costs in maternity care.
- The Department has committed to providing further correspondence in summer 2026 on Dash Review implementation and abolition of the Health Services Safety Investigations Body, and in autumn 2026 on an operational plan to tackle clinical negligence.
- The Committee emphasises that Treasury Minute responses should clearly set out what further correspondence will be provided and when, rather than requiring clarification exchanges.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Public Accounts Committee, Department for Health and Social Care, Samantha Jones OBE, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, David Lock KC, Comptroller and Auditor General, Treasury Officer of Accounts
Notable line
“The Committee's general impression is that the Government could do more to prevent claims.”
Key Quotes
“The Committee's general impression is that the Government could do more to prevent claims.”
“Given the scale and significance of clinical negligence liabilities, this remains an issue of keen interest to the Committee.”
“I would, however, like to reiterate the Committee's expectation that, where a recommendation asks for specific follow‑up action such as a letter, the Treasury Minute response should be clear on what further correspondence the Committee can expect and when …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗