The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has recently confirmed, as part of a Neurology Recall Compensation update, that it will offer a further extension of the time limit for pursuing clinical negligence claims arising from treatment provided to former patients of Dr Michael Watt, Consultant Neurologist.
The Trust has previously extended the usual three year time limit a number of times and it had been due to expire on Sunday 21 June 2026. It has now however been confirmed that the new deadline will be Tuesday 21 December 2027 and this will again apply to those patients who received NHS treatment only i.e. it does not apply to any patients who attended Dr Watt either on a privately paying basis or both privately and on the NHS.
We very much welcome this development as it will facilitate further investigation of Belfast Trust Patient Recall cases without the requirement to settle them or issue protective Court proceedings in advance of the expiry of the time limit and for our clients to incur the associated Court fees. We continue to progress and settle a significant number of such cases and are also receiving and accepting new instructions from other patients who have been affected.
Further information regarding the above and the Neurology Patient Recall generally can be found here.
If you have been affected by the Belfast Trust Recall then please feel free to contact us for advice.