One NHS Trust in the East of England faced more compensation claims for the impact of plastic surgery errors since 2019 than any other in the country.
Patients suffering the effects of plastic surgery errors, as well as the loved ones of people who have died after operations, took action against Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust at least 24 times from April 2019 to March 2024.
The Trust has faced at least six compensation claims related to plastic surgery in four out of the past five years, according to an investigation carried out by Medical Negligence Assist.
The only other Trust confirmed to have had over 10 confirmed claims against it was Mersey and West Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, with the North West-based organisation hit by 23 cases of legal action.
The medical negligence claim experts learned through collecting data from NHS Resolution that Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust paid £539,000 in damages purely from five claims settled in 2020/21.
It was by far the highest figure forked out by any NHS Trust in a single year, eclipsing the £211,627 in damages paid by Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Surrey.
Claimants made six compensation claims against another of the region’s Trusts, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, in 2020/21.
Overall, the NHS received 357 claims in the space of five years due to plastic surgery complications.
The health service has been forced to pay out £13,579,813 in damages after settling 267 compensation claims between April 2019 and March 2024.
Including the amounts paid to cover theirs and some claimants’ legal fees, plastic surgery negligence claims have cost the NHS north of £26 million.
At least five claims were made against the NHS because of deaths related to plastic surgery.
Patients having to undergo additional or unnecessary surgeries to correct issues caused by their care led to 62 compensation claims. 60 cases were settled, landing the claimants a combined £1,711,586.
A further 46 claims were based on ‘unnecessary pain’ while others suffered effects including scarring, nerve damage, disfigurement and, in at least 18 cases, amputation.
Medical Negligence Assist found that the leading cause of claims was failed or delayed treatment led to complications. 70 cases were settled at a combined cost of £2,979,961.
