NHS facing £27bn bill for maternity failings in England
It comes after several hospital scandals caused hundreds of babies and women to die or suffer life-altering conditions sparking a record number of legal claims.
The potential bill for maternity negligence since 2019 is £27.4bn, according to an NHS Resolution report, the organisation that handles negligence claims for the NHS trusts in England.
Hospital scandals in England have prompted health secretary Wes Streeting to launch a national investigation into NHS maternity services.
The new rapid investigation will look at 'systemic' failures in maternity and neo-natal units 'up and down the country', which are leaving women and babies at a 'considerably higher' risk than they should be.
The probe will focus on the 10 'worst performing' maternity services in England in a bid to drive urgent improvements to safety for pregnant women and their babies, Mr Streeting said.
The NHS Resolution report which was published on Thursday revealed in 2024/25 the NHS paid out £3.1bn in compensation and associated costs overall.
But because claims take some time to be reported and settled, and some claims are settled with multi-year payments into the future as Periodical Payment Orders (PPOs), the estimated 'annual cost of harm' for NHS schemes was £4.9 billion.
This means almost £5 billion in compensation costs is currently incurred by the NHS in England each year for incidents that could be avoided.
The estimates cost of harm from maternity incidents in 2019/20 was £5.7bn, £5.1bn in 2020/21, £8.2bn in 2021/22, £3.4 in 2022/23 and £2.5bn in both 2023/24 and 4024/25, the Guardian reported.
This estimated cost is far higher than the NHS budget of £18bn for newborns over the past six years.
Jeremy Hunt, the former Conservative health secretary, told the Guardian: 'It should be a matter of national shame that we now spend more on maternity litigation than the total cost of running maternity services.'
However, compensation for maternity negligence only accounts for a fraction of the total £17.4bn sum, with a large share going towards legal costs.
Over the past six years £24.6m has been spent on legal fees for claims that did not result in damages.
Liberal Democrat hospitals spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller said these figures show how much damage the crisis in maternity services is causing the NHS.
She told the newspaper: 'The crisis in our maternity services is being laid bare through the trauma that so many families have to deal with.'
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'This government inherited an unacceptable situation where too many families have suffered due to failures in maternity care and the NHS has been paying billions for its mistakes, rather than fixing them.
'We are committed to breaking that cycle and providing mothers and babies with safe, compassionate care once and for all. That is why we have announced a rapid national maternity investigation to identify where things are going wrong and identify solutions.'
A spokesperson also said it is setting up a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, rolling out a digital system to better identify safety concerns, and a new training programme to help prevent avoidable injuries at childbirth.
An NHS England spokesperson said: "We recognise that too many women and families are not receiving the high-quality maternity care they deserve, and we are committed to changing this.
"We are taking immediate steps to strengthen maternity services, including closer oversight of underperforming trusts, and will work with the independent investigation to ensure we learn from its findings and deliver the comprehensive changes that women and families need and deserve.'
NHS Resolution said: 'The high cost of compensation arising in maternity comes from a small number of very serious incidents resulting in brain injury to a baby at birth. These incidents are devastating for families and reflect the need to make provision for life-long and complex care needs.
'NHS Resolution is committed to supporting the Government's action to drive improvements in maternal and neonatal safety.
'Our Early Notification Scheme enables an earlier investigation of compensation entitlement than has been possible in the past and for learning to be shared back more rapidly with NHS trusts. Additionally, our Maternity Incentive Scheme provides financial incentives to NHS trusts to embed safety standards. We continue to evaluate and enhance these programmes to improve outcomes for families and reduce preventable harm."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Investigation launched into SNP ministers over huge eye operation delays as thousands of Scots are forced to go private
An investigation has been launched into long waiting times for cataract surgery in light of MailOnline's revelations that thousands of hard-pressed Scots are having to go private. The Scottish Liberal Democrats are heaping pressure on SNP ministers after it was revealed 8,500 Scots were forced to raid their savings to pay for basic care last year – more than double those who went private in 2019. Nearly 19,000 people are stuck on NHS waiting lists for the eye op across Scotland – with one patient in NHS Grampian waiting for more than three years. Party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has now filed more than 20 written questions to the Scottish Government to uncover the reasons behind such long delays. He said: 'I'm pleased to see MailOnline drawing attention to this important issue and piling the pressure on the Scottish Government. Patients having to go private or facing waits of up to three years to be able to see again is simply not on. 'Ministers need to ensure that cataract surgery waits come down and people can get the care they need swiftly. I want these patients to know that I am on their side. These questions are part of an effort to get to the bottom of what is holding back patients from getting the care they need.' Mr Cole-Hamilton has asked about staffing levels, the reasons for waiting times, and what contact Health Secretary Neil Gray has had with NHS boards over the delays. Earlier this month, the party revealed figures showing the true scale of cataract surgery waiting times with NHS Grampian admitted that one person had been on their treatment list for 1,253 days. Delays recorded at other health boards include 869 days in NHS Shetland, 824 days in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 680 days in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, 644 days in NHS Borders, 548 days in NHS Fife, 532 days in NHS Lanarkshire and 508 days in NHS Highland. In total 18,956 Scots are on a cataract surgery waiting list, with the longest list in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, where 3,207 people have been referred. NHS Fife is second, with 2,440 patients waiting for the surgery. MailOnline's own investigation found 8,500 Scots paid for cataract ops out of their own pocket in 2024, more than double the 4,075 people forced to go private for the surgery in 2019. Grandfather David Samson from Tayport in Fife has been waiting more than 19 months for a cataract operation on his right eye. The 87-year-old was first diagnosed in January 2024 and was originally told he would be treated within 18 weeks. That then became 18 months – and later almost two years. Mr Samson, a former kitchen designer and builder, hopes to finally be seen at Dundee's Ninewells Hospital in October. He said: 'It's not affecting my driving yet but I am anxious about it. My condition is slowly getting worse.' Mr Samson has a relative in England with the same condition who expects to be treated in 16 weeks. He added: 'I am 87. When I'm in my box I want to see where I'm going.' A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said it hopes to cut surgery waiting lists to 52 weeks by the end of the financial year. Mr Cole-Hamilton added: 'Our NHS is being held back by neglect and mismanagement from SNP ministers. 'The SNP has repeatedly demonstrated that the NHS will never be its priority.' A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'This year, we are investing a record £21.7 billion in health and social care including £106 million to help health boards tackle the longest waits and deliver over 300,000 additional appointments. 'The Scottish Government is clear that no one should face a lengthy wait for important surgery and procedures.'
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Forget fat jabs, if you want to lose some weight take this VERY unusual pill (just ask Nicole Kidman!)
They are the miniscule sea creatures devoured by fish, seals, Nicole Kidman. Now scientists have discovered that adding a krill to your meals could be the secret to the perfect weight-loss diet. An experiment involving overweight Glaswegians found that taking supplements containing oil from the shrimp-like creatures helped the participants keep muscle mass while losing weight. Researchers found taking a daily krill pill maintained dieters' muscle and strength despite dramatic cuts to their food intake. Their study – published in the journal Obesity – concludes: 'Supplementation may offer a beneficial strategy to enhance the quality of weight loss.' Krill are tiny crustaceans that form a vital link in the food chain, feeding on microscopic plankton and then being hoovered up themselves by fish and sea mammals. They live in vast swarms and flourish best in the colder waters of the polar regions, also helping to slow climate change by fixing carbon in the seabed. The blue whale lives exclusively on krill, consuming as much as four tons a day. But their potential value to our own health is now emerging as their oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that can nourish the brain, heart and joints. For the latest study – led by Dr Dalia Malkova, a senior lecturer in human nutrition - 41 middle-aged Glaswegians were chosen, all of whom were either obese or very overweight. All went on a special weight-loss regime for two months, in which they fasted on alternate days when they consumed only 500 calories. They also underwent physical tests of their strength both at the start and end of the trial. Roughly half the dieters were given four krill oil capsules a day with their meals while the others were handed placebo pills containing plant-based substitutes. After two months, participants in both groups had lost an average of ten pounds on the scales. But 96 per cent of the weight shed by the krill group was fat, compared with only 73 per cent in the group given a placebo. That additional muscle retention meant those taking the supplements lost next to no hand-grip strength, even as the others weakened markedly. And they also gained power in their legs while the placebo group showed no change. In an added bonus, the krill-takers saw their blood pressure and markers of inflammation drop faster too. The authors explain that weight-loss diets cause 'reduced muscle mass, potentially leading to diminished muscle strength [and] this could have adverse effects on metabolic health.' But the Glasgow results show that taking krill oil 'is a valuable strategy to mitigate some of the adverse effects of diet-induced weight loss'. Hollywood actress Kidman, 58 - who won a Best Actress Oscar for the 2002 movie The Hours - is the face of Swisse, an Australian health supplement company that sells oil capsules from krill harvested in the Antarctic. She starred in a television advert for the pills, dancing on a beach and running into the sea, alongside the slogan: 'Live healthy. Be happy.'
The Sun
34 minutes ago
- The Sun
Hero doctor crosses picket to treat 6 patients after striking union blocks cancer tests
THE militant BMA union refused a hospital's plea to allow a doctor to carry out potentially life saving cancer tests. But a hero doctor caught wind and crossed the picket line to help six men waiting for prostate biopsies. 6 6 6 Health Secretary Wes Streeting blasted the British Medical Association and praised the 'brave' doctor who broke ranks. Milton Keynes University Hospital trust was due to perform biopsies on the six men on Friday. But they faced cancellations after thousands of junior doctors, now called residents, walked out that morning in the long-running row over pay. The trust made a special patient safety request - a derogation - which allows striking doctors return to work if there is a risk to patient safety. The Sun on Sunday understands they were worried about the anxiety and mental health impact on the men who could face significant delays in finding out if they have cancer. Prostate cancer biopsies are also invasive and uncomfortable procedures. The request was signed off by NHS England but the BMA refused to bring anyone in because the request was based on anxiety rather than on clinical concerns, sources claimed. Fortunately, a resident doctor on the picket heard about the row and broke ranks to care for the men. And all six men had their biopsies that day as planned. Mr Streeting - who previously had kidney cancer - said it was 'completely unacceptable' for the BMA to dismiss the impact of a delayed diagnosis. He said: 'As someone who has been through it, I know all too well what a worrying time it can be while you are waiting to see if you will be diagnosed with cancer. 'Not knowing can be one of the most difficult periods. 'Patients concerned about whether they have cancer and their loved ones want the NHS to provide a diagnosis as quickly as possible. 'It is completely unacceptable for the BMA to dismiss the mental anguish a delayed diagnosis can have on people and families. 'I want to thank the brave resident doctor who broke the strike to ensure these men got the care they deserve.' Dr Victoria Alner, acting Chief Medical Officer at the trust, said: 'Thanks to our staff whose ongoing professionalism and support have enabled us to keep clinics running during the industrial action. 'Our priority is always to provide safe care, and we will continue to do our utmost to minimise disruption for patients.' This time round the NHS is trying to keep as many services as possible running. And the public is being urged to still come forward for care during the walkout. Mr Streeting said the government would "not let the BMA hold the country to ransom". NHS England said hospitals are aiming to reschedule appointments cancelled due to strikes within two weeks. But Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS England's co-national medical director, warned this could have a knock-on impact for other patients. 'Even two weeks is too long for somebody to wait and actually that has an impact on the people who are then displaced at that two week period," she told BBC Breakfast. She apologised to patients facing delays, adding: 'I know that is extremely distressing when that happens, and it can potentially lead to both physical and psychological harm. So I am sorry.' Prof Pandit said three derogations were granted on Friday. Nottingham City Hospital reached an agreement to call a striking doc back from the picket line because babies' lives were at risk. Exemptions were agreed for two doctors to return to the Northern General Hospital. Another agreement was made for two anaesthetists to work at University Hospital Lewisham on Saturday. And one registrar radiologist to cover the acute service at King's College Hospital. The number of resident doctors who have joined picket lines is thought to be down by thousands compared to last year's strikes. Labour handed them the biggest pay award of any public sector service with an average increase of 28.9 per cent over three years. But public support has fallen for the latest round strikes. Despite this, resident doctors are demanding a further 29 per cent rise. A BMA spokesperson said: "This service was not suitable for a derogation as the BMA assessed there was no urgent clinical need. "NHS England was repeatedly warned that encouraging non-urgent elective care would lead to last-minute cancellations - with patients bearing the brunt. "Despite this, they chose to press ahead. We remain focused on ensuring a safe service continues." 6 6 6
