Kent and Medway NHS trusts pay out almost £3 million in gynaecological-related medical negligence claims

NHS Trusts across Kent have paid out almost £3 million in gynaecology-related medical negligence claims in the past five years, data shows.

The figures - released as a result of a Freedom of Information Request to NHS Resolution, the national health litigation authority - reveal 42 claimants in Kent received compensation, averaging £67,029 per case.

The compensation totalled £2,815,200 between 2020/21 and 2024/25.

A statement from a spokesperson on behalf of all four Kent trusts said they took concerns about care “very seriously” and they were “continually improving” the safety and quality of care for patients.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust paid the majority of that compensation, settling 31 of the 50 claims it faced.

In total, it paid out £1,671,789 in those five years.

Nine of the claims EKHUFT paid out were for damages related to what was described as “primary injury”.

Meanwhile, the same trust paid out five claims for “perforation”.

East Kent had eight claims in 2021/21, 12 in 2021/22, 14 in 2022/23, seven in 2023/24 and six in 2024/2025.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust paid damages of £294,810, settling five out of the 11 claims made.

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust faced six claims and also settled six, paying out £848,621 in damages in 2020/21.

Finally, Medway NHS Foundation Trust paid nothing despite facing 12 claims.

The data was obtained by Medical Negligence Assist, a company which provides legal support to potential victims of suspected medical errors.

NHS Resolution did not disclose data on trusts with fewer than five claims.

Nationally, 94 NHS trusts in England paid a combined £91,817,142 in gynaecology-related negligence damages over the same five years.

The primary injury claimants filed nationally was that of “unnecessary pain”, with 418 having been recorded in the past five years, while notably, there were 62 people who sought damages for infertility.

Solicitor Gareth Lloyd, head of medical negligence at JF Law, has urged the government to intervene.

He said: “The figures paint a distressing time for women. As the data shows, negligence in gynaecological care can lead to serious injuries such as infertility, bladder and bowel problems, which can throw people's lives upside down.

“More needs to be done to protect women in the UK, and for those women who suffered due to medical negligence, they deserve to be compensated.”

A joint statement was issued on behalf of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust and Medway NHS Trust.

The spokesperson said: “We take concerns about care very seriously and understand how distressing these experiences can be for patients.

“Like all NHS trusts, our organisations are members of NHS Resolution, which manages clinical negligence claims on behalf of the NHS. The figures referenced cover a five-year period and reflect a small proportion of the gynaecology care provided across our hospitals during that time.”

They explained every claim is carefully reviewed, and where care has fallen short, they focus on understanding what happened to ensure that learning is identified and improvements are made.

The added: “This includes improving how care is led and reviewed, staff training and support, and updating processes where necessary.

“We are committed to openness and transparency and to continually improving the safety and quality of care for patients.”

Gynaecology is the medical practice that deals with the health of the female reproductive system, such as the vagina, ovaries and breasts.