More than £3.5 million has been paid out in direct damages to injured healthcare workers by NHS Trusts based in Devon over the past five years.

The figures, obtained via Freedom of Information requests to NHS Resolution by Accident Claims Advice, expose the physical risks faced by healthcare workers.

Data from the Liability to Third Parties Scheme (LTPS) - the NHS staff insurance pool - reveals that between 2020/21 and 2024/25, thousands of workers successfully sued their employers after being left injured, assaulted, or traumatised by events in the workplace.

Devon Partnership shelled out the largest sum in the region with a significant payout of £1,109,502 in damages to its workers.

Remarkably, this seven-figure sum was paid out in relation to a relatively-low number of claims over the five-year period, with 15 claims received by the trust for staff workplace injuries.

It’s closely followed by Royal Devon University Healthcare, which stumped up £1,047,886 after receiving 49 claims over the same timeframe.

Ranking slightly lower in payouts was Torbay & South Devon serving the east of the South Hams, which gave a total payout of £828,805 after receiving 50 claims, and University Hospitals Plymouth serving the west of the district, which handed out £594,178 to claimants, from a five-year total of 53 claims.

That comes to a total of £3,580,371 paid out in damages across the Devon region between 2020/21 and 2024/25.

It’s also worth mentioning South Western Ambulance Service, which covers Devon in addition to Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, Bristol, Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Isles of Scilly, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Torbay and Wiltshire.

The trust drummed up a total payout of £187,554 to injured staff, from 54 claims across the five years.