£56m paid to settle legal claims over diagnosis

£5.6m during 2018-19 as a result of 27 cases relating to either wrongful, delayed or failed diagnosis.

The figure is thought to include claims dating back to before it was created earlier this year.

The trust says it has a “culture of openness and honesty” so that it can “actively seek to learn and understand” from the “rare occasion that an incident occurs”.

While it appears fifth highest in a table for the number of liable claims nationwide, the £5,565,569 paid out placed it outside the top 10 for the amount of money paid out by individual health trusts or organisations.

In total, the NHS was to blame for 1,441 cases relating to wrongful, failed or delayed diagnosis in the last financial year – 348 fewer than for 2017-18 - costing £370 million compared to the previous year’s £655m.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, formerly Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, was liable for the highest number of claims, 35, paying out £4,656,708.

The Department of Health paid out the most money, £21,021,729, after settling 22 claims.

Vince Shore, head of clinical negligence at Hudgell Solicitors, which obtained the FOI data, said: “Although the amount being paid out on settled claims relating to misdiagnosis is up from 2013-14, it’s great to see the figure has fallen so sharply over the last 12 months.

“Having said that, it’s a concern that the NHS is spending the equivalent amount it would take to train over 5,000 nurses or seven GPs on misdiagnosis errors.”

Melanie Johnson, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust’s executive director of nursing, midwifery and allied professionals, said: “Our absolute priority is always to provide safe, compassionate, high quality care and we are proud that this is the case for the vast majority of our patients.”