Payouts linked to trust total more than £16m

The NHS Litigation Authority, an insurance scheme for NHS organisations, has had to pay out £16.6m between 2010 and 2013 for cases linked to the trust.

The payments were made to settle cases where patients or their families had filed claims after mistakes or poor care at the trust’s hospitals, which include Dewsbury and District.

During the same period £28m was paid for negligence claims at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital.

Claims involving obstetrics and gynaecology patients were among those resulting in the highest payouts – which are likely to be linked to incidents during birth.

A spokeswoman for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said: “We see hundreds of patients every day and the vast majority tell us they are happy with their care.

“According to latest figures, around 95 per cent of patients are likely to recommend our services to their friends or family and only a small number ever need to make a claim.”

NHS trusts pay contributions to Litigation Authority, which settles all legal claims against them on their behalf.

Between 2010 and 2013, 280 negligence claims were lodged involving Mid Yorkshire hospitals and 391 from patients at the Leeds trust.

The figures do not include cases for non-clinical claims, such as accidents on NHS premises.