Stafford Hospital pays out £1m in compensation

Stafford Hospital has paid out more than a million pounds in compensation for treating patients in an "inhumane and degrading" way.

Human Rights solicitor Emma Jones, who is part of a legal team representing more than 100 victims of alleged abuse at Stafford Hospital, said that Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust paid out the significant sum to patients or their families.

The compensation claims were made after the legal team argued the trust had breached the Human Rights Act.

A report looking into serious failings at the Trust is due to be published next month. In 2009, a separate highly-critical report by the Healthcare Commission revealed a catalogue of failings at the trust and said "appalling standards" put patients at risk.

The Commission said between 400 and 1,200 more people died than would have been expected in a three-year period from 2005 to 2008.