Our experience of making major insurance claim paved way for constructive talk, not hostility

I wrote to health secretary Frank Dobson on behalf of my trust board as we felt that our experiences of a major insurance scheme - following the fire damage to four of our operating theatres - might be valuable in designing the new self-insurance scheme. Our view is that a mutual influence scheme of this type is sensible. The intention of my letter was to point out that any claims exceeding the defined ceiling could incur delays and uncertainties.

We have offered to meet Mr Dobson's team to discuss our experiences of making a major claim. This is meant to be constructive rather than critical.

Jane Herbert

Chief executive

South Manchester University Hospitals trust