Hospitals serving Black Country and Staffordshire women fork out millions in gynaecology medical negligence claims

The highest number of claims settled in the period were made against Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals Trust which runs the newly opened Midland Metropolitan, Sandwell General, City, and Rowley Regis hospitals.

In the last five years the trust paid out £1,651,450 in damages settling a total of 39 claims of medical negligence related to gynaecology care at its sites.

Among the biggest bills was that of Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust which runs New Cross Hospital - paying out £5,114,155 and settling 33 claims.

Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust which runs Russells Hall Hospital paid out £3,075,084, settling nine claims.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall Manor Hospital, paid out £983,770 settling 16 claims.

Staffordshire's University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust paid out £4,117,014, settling 34 claims.

University Hospitals Birmingham Trust has paid out £5,359,213, settling 30 claims.

The most common primary injuries and causes of claims included failure to act on abnormal test results, failed sterilisation and complications during surgery.

Of a total of 3,739 claims and incidents reported to NHS Resolution teams in the last five years, 1,337 were made by women or on behalf of women for ‘unnecessary pain’ as well as a further 740 for ‘additional or unnecessary operations'.

In addition there were also 151 claims with  the word ‘cancer’ listed as the primary injury sustained as a result of gynaecology-related negligence as well as 143 more claims for ‘bowel damage and or dysfunction'.

The findings follow a damning new Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists report which showed that women are being left in ‘debilitating’ pain for years with more than 760,000 on the waiting list for appointments due to a gynaecology care ‘crisis'.

The report is calling for extra NHS funding to speed up treatment for the just under one million women currently on waiting lists.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Dr Ranee Thakar said: “A way forward is urgently needed to tackle the UK gynaecology crisis. Our new report shows too many women are waiting too long with serious conditions that can devastate their lives. NHS staff are also deeply concerned and distressed that they do not have the necessary resources to deliver good care, affecting their own wellbeing.

“UK governments must act now."

The report added that gynaecology has historically been perceived as less important in wider elective recovery resulting in an increasing number of preventable complex cases, disease progression, emergency admissions and women living in pain and distress.

Medical Negligence Assist added that if steps were not taken to address stretched services, struggling staff and dwindling resources, then lower care standards would be the result.