Hospitals pay out massive €2.4bn in malpractice claims

The State has paid out €2.4 billion to settle 6, 289 hospital claims over the last 20 years.

The claims involve patients, service users, employees and members of the public across all the State’s acute hospitals.

In that period the South/South West Hospital Group, which is made up of Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Kerry, University Hospital Waterford and South Tipperary General Hospital, has paid out over €638 million in compensation. 

Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane said: “There seems to be a repeated pattern every year. Yes, mistakes can be made, but you have to learn from mistakes and put measures in place."