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Lawyers take almost half of Mid Staffs NHS trust £12m payouts

Almost half the money paid out in negligence claims by the trust that runs Stafford Hospital has been pocketed by lawyers, it emerged today.

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In total, £12,296,893 in insurance claims was paid to victims of blunders by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust between 2009 and 2013.

But £5,328,480 of that went to lawyers involved with the claims.

The sum has been described as 'excessive' by critics.

Many of the claims settled after 2010 relate to the period of poor care at Stafford Hospital from 2005 to 2009 when hundreds of patients are thought to have died because of maltreatment and neglect.

Stafford Borough Council's cabinet member for health, Frank Finlay, said: "It would seem to be an excessive amount of money going to the lawyers. Victims are getting the smaller share.

"I'm not sure the government could regulate the charges that lawyers make.The lawyers have to take a good hard look at themselves."

Margaret Hodge, the Labour chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, said: "Lawyers provide an invaluable service in supporting people's rights but they should not be exploiting this in a way which is greedy and excessive."

Lawyers say they expect to see an 'explosion' in medical negligence claims in future years, following the scandals at Mid Staffordshire and at Colchester Hospital University Foundation Trust.

Maggie Oldham, chief executive at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It is important to stress that this does not reflect Stafford Hospital as it is today. The care of our patients has significantly improved." Compensation payments are made by the NHS Litigation Authority.

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