Peter Bottomley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Bottomley on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether East Lancashire Hospitals Trust has insurance cover for legal costs and awards in the event of the Trust or one of its employees being subject to legal action for defaming someone by a statement that is untrue, damaging and not privileged.

Mr Jeremy Hunt

This is an employer and employee matter between the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and Mr Aditya Agrawal respectively. The Department cannot comment on individual employment matters that are the responsibility of independent organisations, and that are subject to ongoing legal proceedings or on matters relating to individual clinical cases or other personal information. We understand that the cost to East Lancashire Trust of legal proceedings concerning Mr Agrawal is £296,848.42 to date, and that the Trust does not have insurance costs for legal awards in the event of the Trust or one of its employees being subject to legal action for defamation.