The trust, which manages Whipps Cross Hospital, settled 15 out of 31 radiology-related claims against it between 2020 and 2025
Since 2020 Barts Health NHS Trust has paid out more than £3million in compensation to patients who pursued claims linked to radiology errors.
Data obtained by Medical Negligence Assist show that the trust, which manages Whipps Cross Hospital, settled 15 out of 31 radiology-related claims against it between 2020 and 2025.
2024/25 saw the highest number of claims recorded, when twelve cases were lodged for mistakes in areas such as X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans and ultrasound readings.
In total, Barts paid out £3,266,438 in compensation for settled claims, with the largest single-year pay-out occurring in 2023/24, when compensation totalled £3,018,188.
A spokesperson for Barts Health NHS Trust said: “Patient safety is our top priority and we report any incidents so we can learn from them. We are extremely sorry for any individual radiology errors made in the course of processing almost 900,000 scans a year.”
According to NHS Resolution, 2,163 radiology negligence claims have been made against NHS Trusts across England since 2020. Of these, 1,520 claims were settled, with total compensation payments exceeding £231 million.
Radiology claims have been linked to a wide range of outcomes, including missed cancer diagnoses and fatalities.
However, the most frequently recorded injury associated with radiology negligence was unnecessary pain, accounting for 261 claims over the past five years.
Speaking to Medical Negligence Assist, Sophie Cope said: “Radiology errors can often lead to missed fractures, undiagnosed cancers or serious conditions being mistaken for something minor and these mistakes can have life-changing consequences.
“Some errors may result in additional pain and suffering, prolonged illness, the need for more invasive treatment or prolonged recovery, and other errors can be catastrophic.
“Many of these errors are avoidable. When a patient is harmed because standards have fallen short, they have every right to question what went wrong. If someone suspects a radiology error has caused them harm, it’s vital they seek legal advice both to ensure lessons are learned and also to allow them access to compensation intended to help them rebuild their life.”
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