Claims top £6m over negligence at trust A&E sites

MORE than £6 million was paid out in accident and emergency negligence claims in 2023/24 as a result of events at settings run by University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) NHS Trust, including Derriford Hospital, it can be revealed.

- ANDY PHILLIPS

It comes after less than £400,000 was paid out due to similar claims during the previous four years.

A Freedom of Information response to the law firm Medical Negligence Assist shows that £6,234,598 in A&E medical negligence claims was paid out by NHS Resolution last year on behalf of UHP NHS Trust.

That is a massive spike on the £385,030 paid out in 2022/23 - while nothing was paid in the three previous years. Yet the data shows there were just eight claims made against the trust last year - while 18 were made in 2022/23.

However, from 2019 to 2024, 50 claims regarding A&E negligence were lodged against UHP NHS Trust, 20 of which were settled. The lowest number of claims made came in 2019/20, when seven claims were filed against the trust.