COMPENSATION payouts for people harmed by the NHS across the area - including within Barrow's hospital - rocketed by millions last year.

Newly revealed figures from the NHS Litigation Authority show bosses in charge of Barrow's Furness General Hospital settled claims totalling more than £11m during 2015/16 - an increase of £1.3m on the previous 12 months.

Some £7.2m of the sum was handed over in damages to patients with successful claims against the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust for the year.

The lawsuits themselves racked up an additional £672,485 in legal defence costs, while the trust was also ordered to pay of claimants' costs to the tune of £3.1m.

They contribute to a grand total of compensation paid by health providers across Cumbria last year of £22.9m - £4.6m more than the cost of claims settled in 2014/15.

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The claims themselves have been settled by the NHS Litigation Authority which operates an insurance scheme for NHS organisations.

Premiums are calculated based on a number of factors including the range of services offered, whether a trust offers maternity services - traditionally the most litigious area of healthcare - and a previous record of claims settled.

Aaron Cummins, director of finance and deputy chief executive for UHMBT, said: "The existence of the risk pools has the effect of spreading the cost of claims over time.

"Trusts pay the NHSLA an annual contribution calculated to meet the projected expenditure from the pools.

"Contributions are based on a number of factors including the type of trust, the services provided; the number of clinical staff employed and claims experience.

"As with any insurance, the premium is directly influenced by the number claims

made nationally and by the Trust," he added.

Hospital compensation claims in the north of the county - stemming from incidents and medical mistakes within services run by the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust - cost the taxpayer £9.4m last year, up from £6.9m in 2014/15.

The Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs community hospitals and provides mental health care across the county, paid over £317,000 in damages and legal costs last year.

The North West Ambulance Service was responsible for claims costing over £2m - up from £1.3m during the previous year.

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