NHS Trusts encouraged to apologise

The National Patient Safety Association has encouraged NHS Trusts to apologise to patients once errors have been made, which they say may reduce the number of complaints and indeed litigation.

Clearly, if someone has been injured due to negligent care, it is only right that they are compensated for their injuries. However, the vast majority of clients I speak to all have one thing in common: they are motivated to bring a claim, not through a desire for compensation, but because they want answers as to what went wrong, and a recognition of this from the healthcare provider. More recently, in cases I have been dealing with, the Trusts do seem willing to offer an apology where liability has been admitted. This can frequently be of some comfort for a patient; it’s as if their concerns have been vindicated, the Trust has recognised that errors were made, and it has been taken on board that lessons can be learned.