NHS Resolution: it’s about more than just compensation

[ONE OF THE LARGEST datasets of healthcare related compensation claims in the world is held by NHS Resolution.

Formerly known as the NHS Litigation Authority, NHS Resolution sees it as its duty to use the information responsibly to drive positive change for patients and staff, outlined in its remit under the National Health Service Litigation Authority (Arrangements for the Existing Liabilities Scheme) Directions 2019.

A key aspect of its three-year strategy is to proactively encourage shared analysis of the information it holds across national bodies, clinical colleagues, academics and other researchers, in a consistent way that helps others to combine its data and insights.

NHS Resolution employs a number of clinical fellows: healthcare professionals with an interest in research who dedicate time to analyse trends in the claims data. They produce a number of academic reports – also known as thematic reviews – including: • A thematic review of clinical negligence claims in patients with diabetes and lower limb complications, identifying several key time points during the patient journey where intervention could improve care quality. • Emergency department compensation claims that look at high-value and fatality-related claims over £1m, missed fractures and hospitalacquired pressure ulcers and falls in emergency departments. •Analysis of the data from the first year of an indemnity scheme for general practice, identifying that quicker and more accurate diagnosis and improved prescribing processes could result in better patient outcomes.

As its clinical fellows come from a variety of clinical backgrounds, NHS Resolution can ensure a structured and clearly articulated approach as to how it undertakes research and ensure they have the tools they need to progress their reports and analysis in a consistent and robust fashion.

Attending writers’ retreats at the London Southbank University with facilitation from Staffordshire University on how to write reports, what to include in their contents and how to make strong recommendations is another way the organisation supports and develops its clinical fellows.

Delivering a range of technological improvements through its Core Systems Programme, which looks at the systems used to support business delivery, is another key element of the three-year strategy. One example is the delivery of flexible, configurable data tools that can respond to changes rapidly and easily.

One aim is to maximise the clinical information that can be extracted from its Claims Management System to support thematic reviews and learning from harm.

This clinical coding workstream – working with an IT department who are undertaking a programme within NHS Resolution to enhance technology capability – looks at the Claims Management System to extract a set of categories in a subject area that shows their similar characteristics and how they are related to one another (ontology) over hierarchical relationships among concepts (taxonomy).

Another way NHS Resolution works with academic partners is through designing and developing engaging educational modules. One example is a maternity module, which includes three case stories, currently in development alongside partners Staffordshire University and Health Education England.

Academic partners provide the direction, education and training to allow NHS Resolution to process information in an effective and prescriptive way, such as prioritisation and implementation of recommendations and guidance, so that it’s available to healthcare professionals at the point of care. q