In total, cerebral palsy claims related to clinical negligence across London hospitals cost the NHS £538 million over the past five years.
Data from NHS Resolution, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Medical Negligence Assist, revealed that 127 claims were settled during this period across the capital’s NHS trusts.
These claims resulted in a combined payout of £480,559,901 in damages, with additional NHS legal costs of £149,98,249.
The total financial burden, including claimant legal costs, reached £538,638,345.
Among the 13 affected trusts, Barts Health NHS Trust in east London faced the highest costs, amounting to £73,887,298.
This included £65,433,872 in damages, making up 13.7 per cent of the total amount spent across London for such claims.
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, followed, costing £59,906,202, while Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust came in third at £55,031,615.
Cerebral palsy is a group of lifelong conditions affecting movement and coordination, often caused by issues during a baby’s brain development in the womb or damage during or shortly after birth.
The severity of symptoms can vary, with some individuals experiencing minor problems and others facing severe disability.
Since 2019, there have been 1,118 clinical negligence claims against the NHS in England related to cerebral palsy or brain damage.
The most common causes were failed or delayed treatment, failure to monitor fetal heart rate, and failure to manage second-stage labour.
Over the past five years, the NHS in England has paid more than £2 billion in damages for cerebral palsy and brain damage claims for babies.
Gareth Lloyd, a solicitor specialising in clinical negligence, highlighted the life-changing impact of successful claims for affected individuals and their families.
He shared cases where compensation improved living conditions and care for disabled clients, stating, “Compensation will not put people in the position they would have been if the hospital had not made mistakes, but it will help to make their reality a bit more bearable.”
