Radiology-related errors have cost hospital system over $2M in recent years

England’s National Health Service (NHS) has reportedly paid out the equivalent of around $2 million in compensation in recent years due to radiology errors. 

According to a new report detailing imaging-related negligence claims in the region, there were 27 such claims filed against Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust between 2020 and 2025. This resulted in a total payout of £1,846,002 (over $2.4 million) over the five-year period. 

The claims vary in severity, with most related to injuries, though some involved fatalities. The most commonly cited reason for claims was persistent pain, which was referenced in 261 of the cases. 

A spokesperson for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust described such radiology-related errors as “sincerely regrettable,” later adding that the mistakes go against their aim “to provide the best and safest care possible for our patients.” 

“The Trust is committed to the thorough investigation, and swift resolution, of clinical claims. In addition, any risks identified by such claims are incorporated into the patient safety processes within the Trust with the overall aim of reducing the chance of recurrence of such incidents,” the representative told Worcester News. 

This news comes as radiology staffing shortages continue to hinder patient care globally. The United Kingdom in particular has faced record backlogs of exams in reporting queues. It is estimated that the U.K. is 30% short of the radiologists needed to address imaging demand. 

A news announcement put out in May by the Royal College of Radiologists—the overseeing body of radiology in the U.K.—described the reporting delays at that time as “the worst on record.” RCR noted that a record 976,000 scans sat in queue for more than one month in 2024. 

The backlogs prompted NHS to seek relief via teleradiology services. While this move was effective at reducing the number of exams waiting for reads, it came with a price tag of more than $226 million USD—a figure that leaders with the RCR described as “financially unsustainable.”