Vol. 524 No. 5
321 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he will take to ensure that doctors and patients are protected in view of the scale of obstetric negligence claims which are so excessive that at least one of the medical defence organisations has publicly stated that the position is unsustainable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23170/00]
The Deputy will be aware that my Department has circulated a briefing paper on proposing reforms to the existing arrangements for medical indemnity cover for doctors working in the public health service. One of the objectives of the enterprise liability proposal is to bring a greater degree of financial stability to the provision of indemnity cover. The steep and rapid escalation in the cost of claims arising from infants who suffer cerebral injury at birth has caused problems for all of the insurance and indemnity bodies providing cover to doctors and hospitals. Making the change from the current fragmented arrangements to a system based on enterprise liability is a complex process which will raise many difficult questions. The objective of the exercise is to ensure that the interests of patients who have legitimate claims, and doctors on whose behalf these claims must be settled, are protected.
