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Welsh NHS expenditure on settlement of legal claims has quadrupled in the last four years reaching 27 million last year, a National Audit Office (NAO...Welsh NHS expenditure on settlement of legal claims has quadrupled in the last four years reaching 27 million last year, a National Audit Office (NAO) report has found.

In a report issued last week, the NAO also revealed that there are more than 1,600 unresolved clinical negligence claims in Wales, worth about 107 million; it predicted that costs will only increase as a result of recent Court of Appeal-approved increases in the level of damages, and reforms under way to speed up the claims system.

Among its recommendations were improved risk management standards, and greater use of mediation and ex-gratia payments.