Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust pays out more than £25m over birth injury claims since 2020
New data show that Leeds NHS Trust has had to pay out millions to birth injury claims since 2020.
Figures obtained via FOI requests found that the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs St James’s Hospital as well as Leeds General Infirmary, has had to pay out over £25 million to patients who have lodged claims related to birth injuries.
The Trust said it was “deeply sorry” that some families have been let down by the maternity care they have received at its hospitals.
It comes as the Trust faces mounting criticism on several fronts. A damning Care Quality Commission (CQC) report recently highlighted a culture of racism, bullying, and poor leadership within Leeds Teaching Hospitals, with staff describing a workplace where voices were ignored and accountability was unclear.
At the same time, the Trust placed 96th out of 134 trusts when national NHS performance rankings were published for the first time last month. Health Secretary Wes Streeting also announced that the Trust would be one of 14 in England taking part in a national “rapid” review into maternity services.
Meanwhile, bereaved parents are calling for a public inquiry led by Donna Ockenden into the Trust’s maternity services, alleging years of neglect, cover-ups, and avoidable baby deaths that have left families devastated.
Gareth Lloyd, a medical negligence solicitor for legal firm JF Law, said: “The NHS routinely pays out millions of pounds in compensation every year for entirely avoidable injuries suffered by both mother and baby as a result of substandard maternity care.
“If a baby is not delivered correctly, the nature of these injuries can often be life-changing, affecting not only the child but the entire family.”
From 2020 to 2025, 99 claims regarding birth injuries were lodged against the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, 55 of which have been settled. The highest number of claims made against the trust came in 2020/21 and 2023/24, with a total of 24 each.
Figures obtained by Medical Negligence Assist reveal that the trust has paid out a total of £27,209,681 over the past five years, with the highest amount being £10,389,752 in the 2021/22 financial year.
The most common birth injury assigned to claims made against the Leeds Trust was stillbirths (13), followed by fatalities (8).
The Department of Health and Social Care said it had inherited “an unacceptable situation where too many families are suffering from botched care” and the NHS is “paying billions for its mistakes, rather than fixing them”.
According to figures gathered by NHS Resolution, 5,991 claims have been made against NHS trusts across the country since 2020 for obstetric negligence. Of these claims, 2,955 were settled with trusts having to pay out a total of £2,242,073,583 in compensation to claimants who may have suffered a range of injuries.
Speaking to Medical Negligence Assist, Gareth Lloyd said: “In recent years, there has been a litany of scandals involving poor maternity care across the country, and sadly, in my professional experience, I have seen too many cases where both baby and mother have suffered avoidable harm.”
“While pursuing a birth injury claim can be emotionally difficult, it's important to hold healthcare providers accountable and ensure families receive the long-term support their child will need.”
Dr Magnus Harrison, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are deeply sorry that some families have been let down by the maternity care they have received at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Birth injuries have a devastating and lasting impact on families, and we offer our sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones or experienced harm.
“We deliver more than 8,500 babies each year in our hospitals, and we want to reassure all families using our maternity services that we are making improvements. We are working closely with families, staff, NHS England and the CQC, to provide safe, compassionate and high-quality care to all families.”