The first matter when considering an Accident and Emergency (A&E) department medical negligence compensation claim is the issue of whether or not the health authority has been negligent. The standard of care of a hospital A&E department is judged by comparing it the standards achieved by similar A and E departments in other hospitals. The individual treatment of a patient by a healthcare practitioner in an A&E department is compared to other qualified healthcare professionals working in a similar location and in a similar environment.