 The legal bill has almost trebled to �1.8m |
Reform of the health claims system is being demanded after more than �8m in compensation was paid out by the NHS in Scotland over the last year. The figure had risen from �3.5m eight years earlier, while the legal bill almost trebled to �1.8m.
Nationalists urged ministers to bring in a no-fault scheme.
But the Scottish Executive said it has already ruled out such a scheme and added that figures have been "skewed" by the settlement of large cases.
The figures were released by the executive in answer to a parliamentary question.
The total compensation bill rose from �3,521,199 in 1997-98 to �8,320,412 over the last 12 months.
Scottish National Party deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said the executive should investigate the sharp increase.
She said: "Given that the legal costs associated with these claims have also gone up to nearly �2m a year, and the total to the best part of �10m over the past eight years, surely it is time for the executive to introduce a no-fault compensation scheme.
"That would be a far better way of dealing with accidents and mistakes in the NHS than paying lawyers vast amounts of money to defend cases in court."
Paid out
Health Minister Andy Kerr said: "We have already considered no-fault compensation, through an expert group which reported in 2003.
"That group recommended against it, but it did recommend more use of mediation, which we are currently piloting."
An executive spokesman said the increases were down to the settlement of large value cases which could "skew" payment figures in any one year.
He said: "The sum spent on meeting these claims by NHS boards is small in comparison to the budget NHS boards have.
 Ministers said large cases have been settled |
"Furthermore proportionately the amount of money paid out in Scotland is far less than in the rest of the UK."
During 2003-04, �25m was paid out in Wales, �20m was paid out in Northern Ireland and �422m was paid out in England.
The Conservatives said the SNP's idea of a no-fault compensation scheme was "simplistic".
Health spokeswoman Dr Nanette Milne said: "Far from saving money it is likely to lead to far more compensation claims, would still involve long arguments about levels of compensation and would merely deal with the consequences rather than the causes of mistakes and negligence.
"If we do not discover who or what is at fault the negligence will never be exposed and lessons rarely learned.
"That is bad for patient care and therefore this idea is simplistic and would not achieve the results that we all need to see."
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The sum spent on meeting these claims by NHS boards is small in comparison to the budget NHS boards have
