Milton Keynes hospital pays out £150,000 in ASBESTOS claim

The case, detailed in a Freedom of Information request, involves asbestos found in the hospital’s insulation boards.

Though bosses insist the boards are sealed and inspected annually for safety, they admit the pay-out took place.

The FOI asked for the number of NHS employees or patients that pursued a claim against the Trust for exposure to asbestos within the hospital buildings.

The answer is one person. |And it goes on to detail that the claim was settled for the sum of £148,064.

It is not known whether the case went to court or was settled by lawyers outside the courtroom.

A hospital spokesman told the Citizen: “We can not comment directly on claims or settlements made.”

He added: “The hospital’s estates team carries out regular and detailed inspections of the whole site with specialist contractors and maintains a full register of the known asbestos present in the buildings. It is maintained and monitored to ensure it poses no risk to patients and staff.

“The safety of staff and patients is paramount to the hospital and our estates team works hard to ensure all buildings are well maintained.”

Milton Keynes hospital hospital was built in the early 1980s and opened in 1984. A second phase was constructed and opened between 1988 and 1992.

The use of asbestos was phased out during the late 1970s and early 1980s and mining of it ceased in 1983. But the substance was not officially banned until 1999.