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Capita Outsourcing: Patients at Risk of Harm (21 June 2018)

Date: 21/06/2018
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Capita Outsourcing: Patients at Risk of Harm

In a bid to save money and relieve pressure on NHS resources, NHS England signed a 7 year agreement with Capita in 2015 to take on administrative back-office duties on behalf of primary care providers including GP practices, dental surgeries and pharmacies. So far the move has saved more than £60 million, but at what cost to public safety?

The National Audit Office (NAO) has conducted an investigation reporting on the standard of the service provided by Capita. Whilst no direct harm has been identified, the service is falling below the accepted standard.

This is most evident in the error which caused 90 women to be falsely told that they are no longer part of the cervical screening programme.

Capita is responsible for services such as sending out test results, transferring patient medical records as well as storing medical practitioners in the National Performers lists. The lists, for medical, dental and ophthalmic practitioners, provide reassurance that GPs, Dentists and Opticians are suitably qualified, are fully up to date with their training, have suitable English language skills and have passed checks conducted through the Disclosure and Barring Service and the NHS Litigation Authority. This service has been flagged up by the NAO as not functioning properly, which could risk standards of care.

In some instances practitioners should have been removed from the list but remain, which puts patients at risk of receiving below industry standard of care.

Another clerical error related to the National Performers list left more than 1000 medical professionals unable to work as there were severe delays in processing applications in 2016.

Following this report, the NAO has advised NHS England to consider taking some duties back from Capita, in the interest of public safety.
In response, Capita has reassured that though the report has flagged up some failings in the service that the performance has improved since, with further work to be done to make sure that all duties are up to standards.

The money saved is said to be reallocated to front-line services in a bid to improve NHS care overall. Nonetheless, being one of 90 women wrongly told they were no longer on the cervical screening programme could have long term implications.

Any lax in care at an early stage can delay diagnosis of serious and life-changing illnesses. This can result in a patient experiencing more severe complications, such as having to go through more evasive and aggressive treatment. The recovery may be prolonged and the patient may be physically and/ or mentally debilitated as a result. In the most severe cases, a patient could lose their life which early intervention may have avoided.

If you suspect that your care has been compromised as a result of delay in treatment, a clinical (medical) negligence solicitor will be able to advise you on whether you are eligible to make a claim for damages. Our specialist lawyers have extensive experience acting for clients in a range of medical negligence claims, working with medical experts to ensure you access any future care or therapy required and you receive the best possible compensation for your case.

Petia Georgieva is a Solicitor at Duncan Lewis in the Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury departments. She handles various complex cases including misdiagnosis claims/delay in diagnosis, including cancer claims; GP claims, including delay in diagnosis/referral; and serious injuries, including cerebral palsy and birth injuries.

For expert advice, contact Petia on 020 3114 1243 or via email at petiag@duncanlewis.com.

Duncan Lewis Clinical Negligence Solicitors

Duncan Lewis’ Clinical Negligence team has significant experience acting in a vast array of claims. Varying from accident and emergency failures to GP negligence claims, to misdiagnosis to wrongful death claims. The team also act for children and adults who have suffered profound and permanent brain, spinal or neurological injuries and associated disabilities as a consequence of failings in medical care in both NHS and private hospitals.

If you have any queries relating to Clinical Negligence or think that you may have a claim, please do not hesitate to contact our team of expert solicitors on 0333 772 0409.

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