An NHS Trust paid out £25,000 in damages over a single negligence claim between October 2020 and January of this year.

The James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston revealed that as of January 6, 2021, it had 297 open negligence claims, 18 employer's liability claims and five public liability claims.

Between October and January, three negligence claims were settled: one relating to general medicine, one urology and one A&E.

The highest value clinical negligence claim settled since October was £25,000 in damages, excluding costs.

In papers prepared for a board of directors' meeting on January 28, it said the claim "related to a failure to administer the prescribed Dalterparin on a daily basis, which resulted in a pulmonary embolus (blockage in an artery) developing and causing death".

The trust since confirmed that costs relating to that individual payout were £14,000.

A spokesperson for the trust said that while the number of open negligence cases reported in January 2021 was an increase on the October 2020 report, the numbers were still below the national average.

They said: "The Trust works with an organisation called NHS Resolution to ensure that all claims are dealt with properly and compensation is paid fairly where appropriate."

They added they were unable to provide any further details about the three other negligence claims settled since October last year, including damages paid and costs incurred.

During the last report discussed by board members, in October 2020, the highest value claim settled during the previous quarter was for orthopaedics at a total of £500,000, excluding costs.

Between March 2019-2020, according to NHS Resolution, there were 27 successful negligence claims against the JPH.

These new claims, plus ongoing claim payments from previous incidents, amounted to capitalised damage payments of £2,156,771.

But then there are further "reserve" damages of £3,668,271, which is an estimate of how much the claims closed in March 2019-2020 may cost overall. This is because some payments are dependent on the claimant's lifespan and changes in their condition.

The trust also paid £274,774 in NHS legal costs and £1,008,936 claimant costs over that same time period.

Have you or a family member been affected by clinical negligence at the JPH for which you have received damages? If so, please get in touch at sarah.burgess1@archant.co.uk.