New figures on amount Harrogate NHS Trust has paid out in compensation for surgery errors since 2019

The data obtained by Medical Negligence Assist from NHS Resolution, shows 11,700 claims have been lodged nationwide against NHS trusts for surgery errors in the past five years, with 8,753 of these claims being settled.

In the case of Harrogate, the figures obtained by Medical Negligence Assist found that, since 2019, Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust has paid out £607,283 to patients who have lodged claims following a surgery error.

According to the analysis, in 2019/2020, six claims were made against the trust, the lowest number of claims over the past five years.

Three years later, this number had increased to seven claims.

The trust has experienced a rise in claims over the past year compared to 2022/23, with a total of nine.

Medical negligence solicitor for JF Law, Gareth Lloyd, said: “The chances of a patient suffering a surgical error are remote, yet every operation carries with it a number of risks, and if something goes wrong, there can be lifelong consequences.”

Surgical errors are unexpected mistakes or accidents that occur during procedures and they are classed as ‘never events’ as they are errors that should not have happened in surgery.

A person affected by a surgery error can often make a surgical negligence claim against the NHS, where NHS Resolution pays for their compensation.

This is a government scheme paid for by NHS Trusts that acts as an insurance policy and pays for NHS negligence claims.

Nationally, the most common causes for surgical error claims were failures/delays for treatment, which was lodged 1,999 times.

The most common surgery error injury was unnecessary pain with 1,990 claims submitted.

Every year, 12,000 medicolegal claims are brought against the NHS in England at a cost of £8 billion.

Medical Negligence Assist offers support to patients who may have suffered from a surgical error and can see if they have grounds to submit a claim.

Information on Medical Negligence Assist at: https://www.medicalnegligenceassist.co.uk/

Information on NHS Resolution at: https://resolution.nhs.uk/2024/07/23/nhs-resolution-continues-trend-of-resolving-more-cases-without-need-for-litigation/