AN investigation has revealed Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust paid out more than £230K in damages for gynaecology medical negligence claims in the last five years.

Data obtained by Medical Negligence Assist revealed the Trust had 16 claims and incidents of gynaecology-related medical negligence reported to NHS Resolution, the legal arm of the NHS, since 2019.

The findings come amid a new report from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) which said women are being left in ‘debilitating’ pain for years, with more than 760,000 on the waiting list for appointments. The report also said gynaecology has historically been perceived as “less important”, resulting in increasing numbers of emergency admissions and women living in pain.

Dr Ranee Thakar, President of the RCOG said: “A way forward is urgently needed to tackle the UK gynaecology crisis. NHS staff are also deeply concerned and distressed that they do not have the necessary resources to deliver good care, affecting their own wellbeing.

“The UK government must act now. The RCOG is calling on them to commit to long-term sustained funding to address the systemic issues driving waiting lists, alongside delivering an urgent support package for those currently on waiting lists.

“The investment will not only benefit thousands of individual women but the wider economy too, because the evidence shows that healthy women are the cornerstone of healthy societies. Get it right for women and everyone benefits.”

Medical Negligence Assist’s investigation also revealed the most common causes of claims which included; failure to act on abnormal test results, failed sterilisation, and other complications.

Nationally, since 2019, there have been 384 claims for delayed diagnosis in gynaecology, with the NHS settling 272, with damages amounting to £32,599,324.

The full investigation can be found on the Medical Negligence Assist website.