HOSPITAL mistakes by the former Hywel Dda NHS Trust cost approaching £1 million in just seven months last year.

A total of 24 clinical negligence cases were settled between April 1 and October 31, which amounted to £909,809 in compensation, according to figures released under Freedom of Information.

The trust must fork out up to the first £25,000 of any claim, with anything over and above that figure covered by a hospitals' insurance scheme, the Welsh Risk Pool.

Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones, Plaid's health spokeswoman, said it was vital lessons were learned.

She said: "Of course it's very important that people do receive compensation when things go wrong.

"But this level of compensation is a drain on resources that could be used to improve patient care."

Clinical negligence claims can include failures to diagnose, delays in diagnosis, intra-operative problems and unexpected deaths.

Carmarthenshire, which hosts both Prince Philip and West Wales General hospitals, topped the list with 13 claims amounting to £315,766. Pembrokeshire had 10 claims and Ceredigion had one claim.

"It's important that the local health board ensures that lessons are learnt whenever compensation is paid out," said Ms Jones.

The latest figures come after the trust paid out almost £2 million on 32 clinical negligence claims during 2008/09. Its pay outs that year amounted to £1,989,904, of which £1,452,846 was funded by the Welsh Risk Pool.

Carmarthenshire received 12 claims that totalled £327,304.

And the year before that, the trust incurred costs totalling £1,129,371 on 27 claims, including 11 claims in Carmarthenshire that cost the trust £432,307.

The highest single clinical negligence claim took place in 2008/09 and related to an unsuccessful operation and cost £367,500.

Hywel Dda Health Board declined to comment on the new figures, but reissued their previous statement: "The trust incurred costs on 32 clinical negligence claims in 2008/09, amounting to £1,989,904, of which £1,452,846 was funded by the Welsh Risk Pool.

"These claims represent a very small proportion of activity, for example in the same period there were more than half a million patient episodes. The health board always reviews negligence claims in order to continuously improve patient care."