Express & Star comment: Frequency of accidents is shocking

But when our NHS trusts are forking out millions of pounds in compensation to accident victims or because staff and visitors are put in danger, questions need to be asked.

NHS trusts across the country handed out some £35 million in compensation last year. More than £1m was paid out by Black Country trusts alone.

Slips, falls, defective equipment and insufficient training were among the reasons why trusts paid out. And this figure doesn’t include the legal costs which we can assume will be ridiculously high.

Surely this is money that could, and should, be spent on providing health care. NHS trusts can’t have millions of pounds sat in the bank to pay out each and every time an accident happens – which according to this Freedom of Information report is quite often.

The solicitors who requested this information are quite right in saying hospital staff have the right to expect to be safe in their working environment. Hospital visitors should not come to harm or be put at risk simply visiting a poorly loved one.

All reasonable measures must be put in place to ensure people are safeguarded. The trusts are subject to employers’ and public liability. These are responsibilities that should be taken seriously.

The spotlight is often on the patients and payouts for negligence, which is also sapping NHS funds.

Earlier this year health service leaders warned that the often incredibly large clinical negligence payouts are damaging services and taking funding away from frontline patient care.

The pressures on the health service and the NHS trusts at this time are well documented. In June, Prime Minister Theresa May announced extra funding of up to £20 billion a year for the NHS. Funded in part by no longer being a member of the European Union.

Nobody really wants this and any other NHS funds being eaten up by compensation claims.

As we say, accidents do happen but when trusts are handing out millions of pounds in compensation having failed to meet their employer and public liability obligations then questions must be asked and matters reviewed. A little accident prevention advice could prove invaluable.