Official figures show that compensation claims against schools run at 200
million GBP a year while claims against the NHS were 477 million GBP
in 2003.Byers points out that the amount awarded as compensation could have
respectively provided pay for around 8,000 additional teachers and 22,700 extra
nurses.
The cost of compensation is indeed huge, and the inference is that, if we
stopped pursuing claims both the NHS and our education system would be in
much better shape.
Byers gives the impression that the blame rests firmly with the public who make
compensation claims but he disingenuously points the finger of responsibility
in the wrong direction.
Compensation is just that - compensation - a financial or other remedy in
respect of some failure or fault incurred. When some failure materialises, it
is not unreasonable that compensation should be sought. Compensation is not
just handed out to anyone who phones up and asks for a cheque to be sent in the
post, but only when there are legitimate grounds upon which to claim, and such
claims are invariable exhaustively assessed; no one wants to hand over money
when they don't have to.
That the compensation payouts from the NHS and education system are so huge is
indicative of the massive failings within the two. If there were no faults
or mistakes made then no one one would ever be entitled to compensation.
What Byers ought to be worrying about is how to improve public services and
reduce the need to make claims for compensation in the first place. Putting
the blame on those who take action when incompetence, malpractice and any other
number of failings deserving of compensation occur is to deflect the blame for
the underlying problem onto others.
It is deceitful, arrogant and insulting, but it is no more than many have come
to expect from a government which 'knows best', and appears to believe that, as
long as we do exactly what we're told, we'd all be much better off.
