NHS data reveals 32% increase in medical negligence claims
The following table shows an overall 32% increase in the number of medical negligence claims on the rolling 5-year average in 2021/22:
Type of claim | Annual No. Claims (5-year avg.) |
No. Claims (2021/22) |
% increase/decrease |
---|---|---|---|
Obstetrics | 1,090 | 1,243 | +14% |
Emergency Medicine | 1,333 | 1,233 | -7% |
Orthopaedic Surgery | 1,308 | 1,203 | -8% |
General surgery | 898 | 755 | -16% |
Gynaecology | 689 | 751 | +9% |
General medicine | 497 | 500 | +1% |
Radiology | 390 | 397 | +2% |
Psychiatry/ Mental Health | 314 | 326 | v4% |
Urology | 328 | 308 | -6% |
Gastroenterology | 270 | 293 | +8% |
Ophthalmology | 257 | 225 | -12% |
Cardiology | 219 | 210 | -4% |
Paediatrics | 233 | 180 | -23% |
Ambulance | 162 | 162 | 0% |
Neurosurgery | 181 | 158 | -13% |
Neurology | 120 | 128 | +6% |
Other | 3,123 | 7,006 | +124% |
Total | 11,413 | 15,078 | +32% |
It is estimated that clinical negligence costs the NHS nearly £14 billion per year.
Most claims made against the NHS lead to a successful financial settlement without the need for court proceedings. In recent data published by NHS Resolution, 81% of claims in England were resolved in 2023/24 without resorting to legal proceedings.
Clinical negligence claims against private hospitals, GP practices and other medical service providers are also common, although this data is not centrally compiled.
Read more:
How to claim compensation for medical negligence
Author:
Chris Salmon, Director
About the author
Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.