State faces 550 claims for medical negligence

MORE than 500 allegations of medical negligence have been lodged with a State agency, while a further 50 serious incidents are being investigated and expected to result in claims, end-of-year figures released this week reveal.

But consultants remain in dispute with the Government over a scheme aimed at streamlining public health compensation claims.

The number of claims is set to rise even further when consultants fully sign up to the Clinical Indemnity Scheme.