Scotland’s cash-strapped health boards have shelled out more than £227 million on compensation to NHS patients over the last five years, according to shock new figures.
The Scottish Conservatives, who obtained the stats via Freedom of Information requests, say they are “the tragic yet predictable consequence” of frontline medical staff being overstretched and under-resourced due to the SNP Government’s “dire workforce planning”.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde spent almost £50 million on compensation payouts between 2019-20 and 2023-24, while NHS Lothian spent close to £39 million in the same period.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said: “These eye-watering compensation payouts are the tragic yet predictable consequence of SNP mismanagement.
“Dire workforce planning by successive Nationalist health secretaries has left frontline NHS staff dangerously overstretched and more prone to making mistakes.
“These errors often have catastrophic consequences for the patients involved, while the payouts they necessitate further reduce the resources available to already cash-strapped health boards.
“The SNP’s incompetence is creating a vicious circle in our NHS, and yet they don’t have a credible plan to tackle this crisis.
“Rather than continuing to defend his distracted and incompetent health secretary, John Swinney should adopt our common-sense plans to cut NHS bureaucracy, so that more money reaches the frontline and less has to go on compensation due to medical negligence.”
Notes to editors
Over £227 million has been spent on compensation for NHS patients over the last five years. Between 2019-20 and 2023-24, there were approximately 1,283 successful claims that resulted in £227,143,589 of compensation being paid out. (Various Freedom of Information requests, available on request).
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde spent almost £50 million on compensation over the last five years. Been 2019-20 and 2023-24, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde spent £49,989,625.36 – the most out of all of the health boards that responded. NHS Lothian spent the second largest amount with £38,246,524.01. (Various Freedom of Information requests, available on request).