The 2017/18 bill was 50 per cent up, despite 13 fewer claims. Some people received more than £20million each.
Blunders in emergency medicine accounted for the greatest proportion, followed by orthopaedics.
A&E claims were up seven per cent, according to NHS Resolution.
With legal fees, the total cost to the NHS is £2.2billion.
NHS England banned lawyers from advertising in hospitals this year in a bid to reduce claims.
Dr Christine Tomkins, from the Medical Defence Union, warned: “Awards of this size, paid from NHS funds, cannot be sustained.”
“It would be a fitting birthday present for the NHS if balance could be restored to a system which is so out of kilter, it is putting the NHS under unbearable strain.”
Helen Vernon, from NHS Resolution, said: “The cost of clinical negligence is at an all-time high.
“The total provisions for all of our indemnity schemes continue to rise from £65billion last year to £77billion as of 31 March 2018, which brings a renewed urgency to efforts across government to tackle the drivers of that cost.”
Niall Dickson, from NHS Confederation, which represents health service organisations, described the negligence bill as “staggering”.
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