Progress dealing with compensation claims by former Patel patients

More than half of the compensation claims by former patients of Jayant Patel have been resolved or are subject to mediation, Attorney-General and Justice Minister Kerry Shine said today.

Mr Shine told State Parliament today 156 claims lodged under the Special Process developed by the Queensland Government for patients of Patel, the former Bundaberg-based doctor, had already been resolved.

“Another 20 claims are scheduled for mediation this week,” he said.

“A total of 382 claims were lodged under the Special Process. Of those, 47 claims were closed.”

“Therefore, to date more than half of the eligible claims for compensation have been either resolved or are subject to mediation.”

Mr Shine said the Queensland Government established the Special Process to provide compensation fairly and quickly for former patients of Patel.

Under the Special Process, former Patel patients who have had an adverse outcome can access:
·free legal fees up to an agreed amount
·free medical reports
·expert mediators provided at no cost
·payments informed by the set Injury Scale Values but not limited to them.

28 November 2006
Media contact: Kirby Anderson 32396400 or 0418 197 350 kirby.anderson@ministerial.qld.gov.au