Culture of our times.

On the face of it pounds 50million over five years for medical mistakes is a high price to pay.

When things go wrong then patients should be compensated.

Procedures are in place to ensure lessons are learned from each mistake.

Every penny paid out in compensation is a penny which could be spent on improving patient care.

However, it is important to put these statistics into some perspective.

Thousands of operations are carried out successfully every year making people's lives more comfortable and literally ensuring some people live longer.

And it is a very small percentage when things go wrong.

What makes things more difficult for the health professionals is the explosion of ambulance-chasing solicitors feeding the compensation culture.

Payouts should and are made in genuine cases, it is just a shame so much time, money and effort is spent on the not so deserving "victims".

Just beyond our belief

How a mother can abuse her own child is beyond most people's comprehension.

But today we report a harrowing case of mental and physical cruelty in North Tyneside of truly shocking proportions.

A little girl with 50 bruises on her body and evidence of a dislocated finger.

Evidence of a regular punishment regime involving violence.

And the youngsters being fed nothing more than bread.

Two years in jail is the least this mother deserves.