Nearly 200 compensation claims brought against Redbridge hospital trust in two years

Lizzie Dearden, Reporter Monday, December 3, 2012
9:00 AM

Nearly 200 compensation claims have been levelled against Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in the last two years, it has emerged.

A freedom of information request by the Recorder revealed that 197 claims were made between October 2010 and October 2012 relating to sites including King George Hospital, in Goodmayes, Queen’s Hospital, in Romford, and Harold Wood Hospital.

In October, an eight-year-old boy who was born brain-damaged at King George Hospital, in Barley Lane, was awarded at least £5million compensation.

He was starved of oxygen in the womb during delivery in 2004.

A trust representative formally apologised to the family after the boy’s lawyers said his severe brain injuries could have been avoided with an earlier caesarean section.

Weeks later, a girl who had also suffered brain damage caused by oxygen starvation when she was delivered at King George Hospital in 2006, was awarded a £2.5million lump sum plus annual six-figure payments to cover her care costs for the rest of her life.

There are currently 96 compensation claims in progress and 14 that have been settled but not closed.

Of the 87 closed claims, 53 reached a settlement and 34 were withdrawn.

A separate freedom of information request has been put in to establish how much money was awarded in compensation and what the claims were for.

A BHRUT spokesman said the number of claims were directly related to its size.

She added: “This trust is one of the largest and busiest in the NHS, and also offers regional services such as cancer and neurosurgery.

“This, coupled with having one of the largest maternity units in England, can lead to high-cost settlements. This is simply in proportion to the number of people we treat and has no reflection on levels of patient care.

“We will continue to work hard to ensure that patients receive the best possible standards of care at our hospitals.”

Have you claimed compensation from BHRUT? Let us know by emailing newsdesk@ilfordrecorder.co.uk or call 0208 477 3821.