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NHS Faces £15.7M Payout for Surgical Blunders in 2025

12/2/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In 2025, the National Health Service (NHS) compensated patients £15.7 million for surgical errors, including 125 foreign objects left inside patients and 47 wrong-site surgeries.
These incidents, termed never events, caused £8.7 million in damages and £7 million in legal fees.
Last year, NHS hospitals in England reported 106 foreign objects cases and 185 wrong-site surgeries, nine involving the wrong patient, due to administrative errors.

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Story summary

In 2025, the National Health Service (NHS) compensated patients £15.7 million for surgical errors, including 125 foreign objects left inside patients and 47 wrong-site surgeries.
These incidents, termed never events, caused £8.7 million in damages and £7 million in legal fees.
Last year, NHS hospitals in England reported 106 foreign objects cases and 185 wrong-site surgeries, nine involving the wrong patient, due to administrative errors.