NHS Trusts have paid out £55 million in compensation claims relating to anaesthesia since 2019.
Injuries as a result of anaesthesia-related medical neglect included death, psychiatric and psychological damage, nerve damage, dental damage and unnecessary pain.
Data obtained by Medical Negligence Assist shows that NHS Trusts have paid out £55,130,516 in compensation for claims relating to anaesthesia since 2019, with NHS legal costs and claimant costs bringing the total to £80.7 million.
In the past five years, NHS Trusts have settled 365 anaesthesia medical negligence claims, but the number of incidents reported to NHS Resolution, the legal arm of the NHS, is far higher.
Between 2019 and 2024, a total of 437 incidents have been reported to the NHS legal body with the leading cause for a claim recorded as, “error with agent, dose or route selection”.
Some 36 cases have been settled since 2019 with compensation payouts alone amounting to £6,847,425.
Psychological damage
The most common injury cited for anaesthesia negligence claims lodged against the National Health Service was for psychiatric or psychological damage – costing the NHS £1,998,902 in settlements for 82 claims.
Other injuries included “intubation problems” which is the improper placement of the endotracheal tube that can lead to difficulty with ventilation and inadequate oxygen delivery.
Some 17 such claims and incidents have been reported to the NHS legal body in the last five years.
“While anaesthesia is an essential and generally safe component of modern medicine, errors can have devastating consequences,” said Medical Negligence Assist solicitor Gareth Lloyd.
“These figures reinforce the importance of stringent safety measures and ongoing education for healthcare providers to minimise risks,” he continued.
