NHS Trust claims rise year-on-year since 2019

In the five years to 2024, 109 A&E negligence claims were recorded against the Trust, with 62 settlements secured to date. In 2019/20, there were 15 settlements but by 2023/24, that had risen to 33.

A total of £15,071,168 has been paid out for claims made over the past five years.

Barts NHS Trust operates The Royal London, St Bartholomew’s, Newham and Whipps Cross Hospitals across East London, and delivers healthcare to around 2.5 million people.

Nationally, NHS Resolution paid £2.8 billion to people harmed by clinical negligence in the 2023/24 financial year, figures from Medical Negligence Assist show.

The most common reason for claims made against the NHS was failed or delayed diagnosis, followed by failed or delayed treatment.

The significant levels of compensation paid to people affected by poor care are revealed ahead of the unveiling of the Government’s NHS 10 Year Plan, which aims to set out a pathway to reform healthcare services nationally.

Slater and Gordon is a leading law firm in supporting individuals and families who have suffered as a result of poor standards of care.

“These figures are hugely concerning, and the fact there has been a rise in the numbers of claims for the past five years is really shocking,” says Nadia Saber, a senior associate in clinical negligence at Slater and Gordon in London.

“Clearly, in A&E there are huge challenges for medical teams to cope with, including significant numbers of patients, long waiting times and a shortage of staff and resources – but for people who rely on this Trust for the care of them and their families, they will be very worried about what is being delivered to them.

“This is not a problem localised to Barts NHS Trust, and is rather a worsening national issue which urgently needs to be addressed, but for those families who have suffered because of medical failings, change is already long overdue and cannot wait any longer.”

The number of claims against Barts NHS Trust for A&E negligence has risen year on year since 2019, resulting in over £15m in settlements, figures from Medical Negligence Assist reveal. 

Barts Trust operates Whipps Cross Hospital in Leyton, in addition to The Royal London, St Bartholomew’s and Newham Hospitals. They provide healthcare to around 2.5 million people in East London.

Negligence in A&E can include failure to provide care to the expected standard, inadequate examination, delays in diagnosis and treatment and ignoring symptoms.

From 2019 to 2024, 109 A&E negligence claims were lodged and 62 ended up with settlements. In 2019/20, there were 15 settlements, and by 2023/24, the number had risen to 33.

The trust has paid out £15,071,168 in total over the past five years, with the highest annual amount being paid in 2022/23, at £7,359,698.

On a national level, NHS Resolution paid £2.8 billion in cash to people harmed by clinical negligence in the 2023/24 financial year. A record high, the Public Accounts Committee called for there to be more done to protect patient welfare and reduce the ‘jaw-dropping’ costs.

The causes of the rise in A&E negligence claims in Barts NHS Trust, and the UK as a whole, are likely as a result of overwhelmed NHS services, caused by staff shortages, long waiting lists and overcrowding. The pressure on waiting lists has also increased the strain on A&E services, with some patients having to wait days at a time for treatment, often spending time on hospital corridors.

The most common reason for claims made against the NHS was failed or delayed diagnosis, making up 2,224 claims over the past five years. The second most common was failed or delayed treatment with 1,911 claims.