Pages On: Medical Negligence

Plans to improve maternity care after 124,000 reported incidents

Posted: 15 March 2016

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

A report published by NHS England has called on staff in maternity units to learn from mistakes that have been identified by auditors, with a view to improving care provided in the units. It was found that over 124,000 reports of incidents in maternity units were submitted in 2015. The figures reveal an average of around 340 mistakes were being made daily in maternity units. These include incorrect epidurals being administered, foetal heartbeats not being monitored correctly or caesareans being carried out too late in cases of emergency deliveries. It was found that 351…

Dental nurse carries out botched cosmetic operation

Posted: 21 February 2016

Posted in: Dental Negligence, Medical Negligence, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

The General Dental Council (GDC) have carried out a misconduct hearing against former dental nurse, 41-year-old Adele Royston, after it was discovered that she had carried out facial surgery on her friend despite being unqualified to do so. The decision was made to have Royston struck off after she took time off her work at Russell Court Dental Centre in Bingley, West Yorkshire in February to carry out the procedure. The surgery involved administering a local anaesthetic to her friend’s face. She then proceeded to cut her face in two places to…

Death of newborn caused by paramedic failings

Posted: 16 February 2016

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Worcestershire Hospitals Trust has recorded the death of a newborn baby as a serious incident following paramedics taking the child to Accident and Emergency at Worcestershire Royal instead of the maternity unit. The crew had been told to take the baby to the maternity unit where a full paediatric resuscitation team would be available, however it was decided that the infant should be taken to A&E. This decision was made as taking the baby to maternity would have meant wheeling the child through the main hospital whilst performing heart massage.  Ambulance…

Damning report on how medical complaints are handled

Posted: 9 February 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Healthwatch Cumbria and Cumbria Health Security committees have published a damning report into how medical complaints are handled in their area. It has been found that Cumbrian patients were afraid to make complaints and that their complaints were handled “defensively” by health staff. It was also found that complaint procedures were complex and that there was a general lack of understanding amongst staff of the procedures. NHS complaint handling was also found to be lagging behind recommended targets. The report has called for health and social care workers across Cumbria to adopt a…

Investigation into increased mental health deaths

Posted: 31 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Mental Health campaigners have welcomed the commissioning of an investigation into the increase in the number of unexpected deaths of patients suffering from mental health problems in The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. In the year 2012-13 there were 61 deaths and in 2014-15 the number had risen to 129. This is higher than other UK mental health trusts. Following a Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats the figures were released earlier this week. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) placed the trust in special measures last year when it…

Chronic fatigue syndrome discovery

Posted: 30 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence

It has been discovered that children from lower income families are more likely to suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome following research by the University of Bristol. Formerly known as the “yuppie flu”, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), causes persistent tiredness that cannot be alleviated by rest or sleep. It has been found that it is more likely to affect girls than boys with around 2% of 16 year olds suffering from the disorder. The study observed more than 5700 parents and their children and found that one-in-50 16 year olds suffer from the…

Hospital fails to implement improvements

Posted: 24 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Colchester hospital, which has been in special measures since 2013, has been accused of neglecting to implement improvements since a man died in 2009. Mr Norman Betchley died after being mistakenly given medication by an agency nurse. Mr Betchley’s daughter, Linda, said that the hospital had utterly failed in its duty of care, and pointed out that lessons have not been learned in the ensuing years. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) report following a recent inspection considered that the hospital was still too reliant on “unsuitable” agency staff, a claim that…

Beauty treatment causes stroke

Posted: 10 December 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

Following a beauty treatment whilst on holiday in Wales five years ago, 51 year-old Elizabeth Hughes from Gosport, suffered a life-changing stroke. The stroke left her with a weakness in one of her arms, as well as problems with her balance resulting in her being forced to retire from her job as a nurse at Gosport’s Royal Hospital Haslar. Mrs Hughes collapsed several days after having a facial at Eastwell Manor and was rushed to hospital where it was discovered that a dissection to the carotid artery was the cause of her…

London’s Ambulance Service under ‘special measures’

Posted: 29 November 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Further to an inspection carried out in June by the Care Quality Commission (CQA), London’s Ambulance Service NHS Trust has become the first to be put into special measures in an attempt to attract aid to improve its failing service.  The inspectors found the Service to be failing in the following areas: Staff shortage and poor staff trainingInappropriate levels of staff supervision at senior levelsResponse target times being missedLow staff morale with individuals complaining of harassment and bullyingHigh levels of frontline vacancies The Trust, which until 2014 was ranked as…

Care home service rated ‘inadequate’

Posted: 26 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Care inspectors have rated a Lancashire care home ‘inadequate’ after an unannounced visit in August. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out an inspection of Euxton Park Care Home in Chorley after they had been made aware of a number of failings – the home has since been placed under special measures. The report that followed the inspection noted that the home was failing to protect its residents from a number of risks and was not sufficiently staffed for the number of residents. The report also found that many of…

Ambulance workers unsure how to treat legal high casualties

Posted: 25 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

With a sudden rise in people using legal highs, a senior paramedic has announced that ambulance services are struggling to cope with the treatment of casualties. Sarah Harrison came forward earlier this week claiming that because of the complexity of the substances’ make-up, hospital staff are struggling to treat casualties. Medical staff are currently trying to “catch-up” in the battle to develop effective treatments – made more difficult by the fact that a BBC investigation recently discovered that many products don’t actually contain the precise ingredients listed on the packaging.…

Elderly and disabled left without home care

Posted: 2 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recently released report has found that a number of elderly and disabled people in Lincolnshire are not receiving the home care they need following changes to adult social care. The changes saw Lincolnshire County Council award contracts to 12 private companies to assist 3,500 people with their day-to-day needs, such as washing, dressing and eating. Now that this change has been put into motion, however, a number of the agreed companies are not actually ready to take on the responsibility. The local authority described the situation as not ‘ideal’,…

Swine flu vaccine compensation cases blocked

Posted: 25 September 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

When doctors realised that the sharp rise in narcolepsy cases was related to the swine flu vaccine Pandemrix, they immediately withdrew it. Now, however, the government is being bombarded by several medical negligence compensation claims, which government lawyers are attempting to block. The Pandemrix vaccine was produced by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and was administered to over 6 million people in Britain and millions across Europe during 2009-10’s swine flu pandemic. A 12-year-old boy, who remains anonymous, received a compensation payout of £120,000 in June after he was left severely…

Unsafe level of senior doctors and desperate shortage of nurses

Posted: 8 September 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Recent inspections have discovered the dangerously low levels of senior doctors within the North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust. The health trust, criticised over its high death rates, was one of the 11 trusts placed under ‘special measures’ in 2013. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that while improvements have been recognisable, staffing issues remain unaddressed by the trust.  Inspections were carried out at West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, and the midwifery-led birthing service at Penrith Community Hospital between 31 March and 2 April this year. Inspectors…

NHS negligence responsible for baby 1300 deaths

Posted: 29 June 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Official figures have revealed that around 1,300 babies were injured or killed as a result of medical negligence within the NHS last year. Medical staff errors made during birth, which led to injury or death, cost the NHS £1b last year alone. Figures showed that one in four claims made against the NHS were successful, with the largest claims going to babies left brain damaged as a result of negligence. Mervi Jokinen from the Royal College of Midwives said that more should be done to protect mothers and children. She…

£8million payout after 7-year legal battle for brain damaged baby

Posted: 24 June 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

The family of a seven-year-old boy who suffered serious brain damage as a baby have finally won compensation following a 7-year legal battle. The child, who remains anonymous, contracted jaundice as a baby. Medical staff at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust in south-east London, however, failed to recognise the symptoms, allowing it to spread and develop into the rare illness kernicterus. Kernicterus is an illness that affects less than one in every 100,000 babies in Britain, caused by untreated jaundice. It can cause severe brain damage, and even death. It…

Daughter wins compensation for mistreatment father experienced in care home

Posted: 15 June 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

A woman has been awarded over £3,600 in compensation after her father suffered a serious head injury whilst in care. 43-year-old Tracy Betteridge sued the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust after a health care assistant used physical restraint against her father, 76-year-old Ivor Betteridge, who then fell and seriously injured his head. Mr Betteridge was being treated for severe dementia at the Fiennes Centre in Hightown Road, Banbury, after his wife, and carer, Georgina died of breast cancer in 2012. He sustained the head injury in February 2013 and died…

Staff fighting to keep mental health patients safe

Posted: 5 June 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A whistle-blower has warned the NHS that hospital staff are struggling to keep patients safe within a failing mental health trust. The whistle-blower, known as Claire to maintain anonymity, says that very few improvements have been made within the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust, despite the input of regulators since February. Claire says that increasing workload pressure and severe staff cuts are causing unsafe care conditions for vulnerable patients. She said that those at risk of self-harm and suicide are not being provided with the care they require. Claire said:…

Bradford care home dangerously inadequate

Posted: 28 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Following a recent inspection, a care home in Bradford has been found to be dangerously inadequate. Inspectors found that Cooper House Care Home, which cares predominantly for dementia sufferers, was very poorly managed and understaffed, making it highly “unsafe” for its patients. Cooper House Care Home was one of three care homes marked as ‘inadequate’ in the north of England following recent inspections. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) report of Cooper House flagged up a serious issue with medicine management, stating that patients were not being protected from the risks…

Norovirus outnreak closes ward

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Ward 3 of Walsall’s Manor Hospital has been closed until at least Sunday following an outbreak of the Norovirus. A bay on Ward 10 has been closed due to the same outbreak and visitors with symptoms of sickness have been asked to stay away to stop the bug spreading. Any visitors with friends or relatives were requested to stay away, even if they were in different wards, if they had experienced diarrhoea or sickness in the previous three days. Head of Infection Control for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, Joanne Ellison, has stated,…

Multimillion-pound payout to brain damaged siblings

Posted: 14 April 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

Following serious errors in the delivery of brother and sister Natasha and Patrick Jackson by the Sharoe Green Hospital in Preston, an “unprecedented” compensation payout of around £13m has been made. Natasha, 23, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of errors made during her delivery. She has been awarded £7m. Her brother Patrick, 22, received a £6m payout in 2010 for the same condition, also caused by errors at the same hospital. Patrick was diagnosed with the condition aged 18 months. Their mother, Paula McKay described how she was “devastated” to learn…

A&E targets missed nine months running

Posted: 1 April 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Derriford Hospital in Plymouth’s A&E department has missed the national four-hour waiting time target for the ninth month in a row, according to a recent report. Chief Executive of the hospital, Anne James, said that the A&E department had been dealing with “significant pressure” recently as a result of a “sustained increase” in patients attending the department. The hospital is currently on ‘black alert’, meaning that its services are in extremely high demand. “These pressures continue to affect our ability” The report, which was presented to the hospital board, highlighted…

Death investigated after ambulance failed to show up

Posted: 2 March 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A man is trying to “bring up a case of manslaughter” after he found his mother dead ten hours after she called 111 and the ambulance that was sent to her turned back. Ann Walters phoned the NHS helpline from her home in December and the call was referred on to 999. After an ambulance was sent to her Portsmouth home, it was recalled minutes before reaching her house. Her son, Lawrence Thorpe, said he is going to “bring up a case of manslaughter” if someone is found to be…

NHS complaint system ‘inadequate’

Posted: 7 February 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

A recent review carried out by the office of the health service ombudsman found that over 40% of NHS investigations into patient complaints do not meet standards. The review looked at a total of 150 individual cases into allegations of avoidable harm or death, of which 61 had failed to handle the complaints adequately. Alongside these individual cases, the review looked at statements, records, the quality of the investigations and the evidence relied on. Ombudsman, Dame Julie Mellor, is due to appear in front of the public administration select committee…

“Missed opportunities” caused patient death

Posted: 1 February 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A coroner in Essex has ruled that there were “missed opportunities” that could have saved the life of Matthew Leahy. The 20-year-old was found hanging in his room at a mental health centre in Chelmsford. He was found dead on 15 November 2012 after being affected by several health trust failings. It was heard in Chelmsford Coroner’s Court that Mr Leahy had not been assigned a key worker during his time at the Linden Centre, and that his paperwork was incomplete. It was also heard that no care plan had…

Union fears over fire crews ambulance project

Posted: 25 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A union has called for additional measures to be introduced in a project that sees fire crews respond to medical emergencies in ambulances. The project, ‘The Joint Ambulance Conveyance Project’ (JACP), was introduced in September and has already seen crews at three Lincolnshire fire stations called out seventy times. Where The Fire Brigades Union said that they supported the idea, bosses admitted that they were “chancing it” if a fire were to occur while crews were in ambulances. Despite these concerns, managers maintained that the benefits outweighed the very “small…

Two hospitals ban paramedic for whistleblowing

Posted: 18 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Two hospitals in Worcestershire have banned a whistleblower paramedic after he spoke out about severe overcrowding in their accident and emergency departments. Stuart Gardner, of the West Midlands Ambulance Service, had the ban imposed on him after detailing the extreme pressure that the A&E units were dealing with, describing them as “not safe” to the BBC. Following this, the chief operating officer (COO) of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust told him that he was no longer welcome at either of its hospitals. It was heard that the ban was placed…

Disabled teen wins £8million from birth injury claim

Posted: 29 December 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

A teenager that was left severely disabled following injuries as a baby is to receive £8million in compensation. The teenage boy from Belfast had been admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast shortly after his birth because of an infection. Because hospital staff failed to treat the infection adequately, he suffered spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. On top of this, he also developed epilepsy and serious learning difficulties. He now requires around-the-clock specialist care. The payout was agreed at the city’s High Court at the beginning of the month. It is the largest…

Apology over hospital misdiagnosis death

Posted: 18 December 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The health secretary has apologised to the family of a man who was sent home from hospital with an undiagnosed ruptured spleen. 20-year-old John Moore-Robinson died in 2006 after staff at Stafford Hospital failed to accurately diagnose his injuries. He had been involved in a mountain bike accident and was diagnosed with bruised ribs. A few hours later he collapsed and died at home. In September a second inquest was carried out, which found that Mr Moore-Robinson’s death could easily have been prevented. His father, Frank, said he wanted answers…

Investigation over mental health care

Posted: 8 December 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Staff at a mental health unit have been suspended following an allegation of mistreatment. A police investigation was launched at the mental health unit of Royal Blackburn Hospital after a patient was left screaming and covered in excrement for several hours. The Lancashire Care Foundation Trust, who runs the unit, is also investigating the allegation. The incident happened on 22 November, with police still trying to establish whether or not there will be a criminal investigation. The director of nursing, Dee Roach, said that the trust is trying to investigate…

Potentially high risk hospital still needs to make improvements

Posted: 26 November 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Four months after a hospital was rated “potentially high risk”, inspectors found that there is still a lot of room for improvement. A Care Quality Commission report rated Kettering Hospital as on the verge of being ‘high risk’, with the report flagging up problems regarding the A&E department, the medical care being provided (especially for the elderly), and surgical procedures. Four months later, inspectors have identified improvements, but said that the trust is still not providing a particularly high standard of care to patients. The initial inspection was carried out in…

Dentist suspended following hygiene concerns

Posted: 13 November 2014

Posted in: Dental Negligence, Medical Negligence

A Nottinghamshire dentist has been suspended after 22,000 dental patients had to be recalled for screenings following hygiene concerns. The hygiene concerns were raised following the death of Amy Duffield in August 2013, shortly after she received treatment from Desmond D’Mello. Following her death, NHS England discovered that Mr D’Mello failed to wash his hands and used the same instruments for different patients without sterilizing them in between appointments. The scare has resulted in 22,000 patients being recalled, with more than four hundred people already having visited a health centre…

Health trust apologises to 27 patients over cancer care

Posted: 19 October 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

A health trust has apologised to the cancer patients treated by a consultant who was recently dismissed. A total of 27 patients received letters in the post apologising for consultant Paul Miller’s treatment between 2006 and last December. Mr Miller had been working at East Surrey Hospital, treating bladder and prostate cancer patients. Five patients that were treated by Mr Miller died, but the trust said that “it wouldn’t be correct” to immediately connect the deaths with Mr Miller’s treatment. The trust’s medical director, Des Holden, said that Mr Miller did not…

Mother awarded £2.25m compensation for son's cerebral palsy

Posted: 9 October 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

After a woman’s son was born prematurely after she was fitted with a contraceptive device during pregnancy, she has been awarded £2.25 million in compensation. Cian Bowen, now seven-years-old, was born with severe brain damage and now suffers with cerebral palsy even though his intellect is still intact. Ms Hughes’s case arose from the admitted negligence of the doctor who fitted her with an intrauterine device (IUD) or coil in March 2007 while she was fourteen weeks pregnant. After she was fitted with the contraceptive device she suffered from bleeding and…

Doctor was unaware patient had spleen rupture

Posted: 23 September 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A Stafford Hospital doctor discharged a patient with a ruptured spleen despite a paramedic classing his condition as “life-threatening”. 20-year-old John Moore-Robinson had gone to Stafford Hospital after he fell off his bike near his home in Sileby, Leicestershire. Even though the telecommunications engineer informed the hospital that he had a life-threatening condition prior to his arrival, the doctor that dealt with him said he only had bruised ribs and discharged him the following day. Mr Moore-Robinson died at home a few hours later. The doctor that treated Mr Moore-Robinson, Dr Girish…

Pensioner receives compensation for failed cosmetic surgery

Posted: 19 September 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

69-year-old Pearl Richman has been awarded over £40,000 in clinical negligence compensation after a facelift caused her to develop a skin condition called necrosis. Mrs Richman underwent the procedure in 2010 but was left with open flesh wounds and a cell injury called necrosis, which causes the premature death of skin cells. Following the botched procedure, Mrs Richman took her case to a country court hearing in April, where the judge awarded her compensation against the negligent doctor. It is believed that the doctor responsible for Mrs Richman’s injuries is still…

Inadequate GP practices to be closed down

Posted: 14 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

It has been confirmed that the special measures regime for hospitals will now be extended to GP practices, meaning that those given the bottom rating could be closed down. This agreement, drawn up by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), will fall into play in October, with the hope to have inspected all 8,000 practices by March 2016. Practices with a poor rating will be given six months or a year to improve, or face closure. The practices across the country will be rated as either outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate. Up until…

Error costs health trust £1.2million and a man to lose his leg

Posted: 18 July 2014

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, Road Traffic Accidents

A healthcare trust has been billed over £1million after a former patient sued over the loss of his leg. Following a relentless legal battle, Edward Appleby has won a six-figure settlement over the treatment he received at North Devon District Hospital in 2005, which he blames for the loss of his leg. Even though Northern Devon Healthcare Trust has not admitted liability for negligence, they apologised for having incomplete documentation on his care following a road traffic accident. It was heard that the hospital failed to find the majority of his medical…

£12 million to parents of boy disabled at birth by medical negligence

Posted: 17 June 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

A seven-year-old boy was awarded a payout of £12 million at London’s High Court on Thursday after he was left severly disabled when doctors failed to recognise his abnormal heartbeat at birth. Toby Hart was born at Friarage Hospital in Northallerton in October 2006, but now requires 24-hour care following failings at birth. He has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, a severe learning disability, and has been registered blind. Toby was born 25 minutes later than he should have been, and his brain was starved of oxygen as a result.…

Will ambulance cuts put “lives at risk”?

Posted: 29 May 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A trade union has warned that the North West’s plan to cut ambulance services could put “lives at risk”. The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) aims to save millions of pounds a year by cutting the number of vehicles on the road. They aim to achieve this by withdrawing many of the vehicles operating a night, in a bid to save them a total of £14m a year. The NWAS said that vehicles would still be available for emergencies, but in non-life threatening situations, patients would be “pointed in the right direction”. Unison…

NHS 111 call handling failings

Posted: 25 April 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

The chief executive of The South Western Ambulance Service has admitted to failings surrounding the handling of 111 calls.  He said the service has “failed to deliver the performance required”, particularly in the handling of weekend calls.  In one week alone, nearly 900 people seeking non-emergency advice in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset abandoned their calls due to their poor handling by call staff. The trust is currently reviewing their staff as a result. Chief executive Ken Wenman said that great changes have to be made to ensure that callers are…

Surgeon erased from medical register after 75 complaints

Posted: 25 March 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

Following 75 complaints made by patients, previously sacked surgeon Dr David Jackson has been removed from the medical register all together. Dr David Jackson was sacked and suspended in 2007 but has not managed to appear before a disciplinary hearing due to poor health. As a result, A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has granted him “voluntary erasure”. A spokesperson from East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said that £651,000 has already been paid out to 15 of his past patients. It is believed that Dr David Jackson has been unable to attend…

‘Do something different’ to improve NHS care

Posted: 3 March 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

As part of NHS Change Day, thousands of people working for the NHS across the country are ‘doing something different’ for the day to improve the care provided by the NHS. This idea came about after two doctors attended an NHS leadership course, which sparked the idea of introducing an NHS Change Day. This day is to help raise awareness and improve care standards within the NHS by encouraging its employees to ‘do something different’ for a day. 2013 saw 189,000 people pledging online as a result of NHS Change Day, with the…

NHS cash shortage 'harmful' to care standards

Posted: 9 February 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Figures released last week have highlighted that the cash shortage within the NHS is potentially harmful to care standards. Following the Stafford Hospital scandal last year, the NHS has been pushing to improve the level of care provided by the UK’s hospitals. Experts, however, say that financial pressures will make this exceedingly difficult. Inquiry chair Robert Francis QC said that it is unacceptable for hospital leaders to act like they can continue to improve the level of care without adequate funding. He said that hospital leaders have to be “frank” about the level…

£4.5m payout to 10-year-old for brain injury at birth

Posted: 31 January 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

Colchester Hospital has agreed to payout £4.5m to a young girl who suffered a “catastrophic brain injury” shortly after being born at the hospital. It was heard at The High Court that numerous mistakes were made during Samantha Singleton-Parkes’s birth in December 2003. The young girl now suffers from cerebral palsy and will spend the rest of her life requiring around the clock care. Samantha, who now lives with her family in Brightlingsea in Essex, is due to receive a lump sum and annual payments. Even though the accident happened 10 years…

Patient contracted hepatitis c from hospital

Posted: 28 January 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

NHS Lanarkshire has apologised after a patient became infected with hepatitis C during their time at hospital. The health board said that they were unsure as to how the patient became infected with the blood-borne virus, but said that infection control procedures at their hospitals had been tightened as a result. The patient had been at Monklands Hospital in April 2012 when the virus was detected, alongside seven other patients who were all checked for the infection. Hepatitis C is an infection usually contracted through blood-to-blood contact, but can sometimes be transmitted…

Health secretary demands that NHS workers apologise for poor care

Posted: 13 January 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said that doctors and nurses must start apologising directly to patients if things to wrong. He said that a ‘culture of defensiveness’ has developed, which is no longer welcomed by the NHS. Doctors and nurses will be encouraged to be honest with patients when accidents occur, taking a step towards patients regaining trust in the NHS.     It has been found that staff across England and Wales are reluctant to apologise to patients following medical negligence through a fear of admitting legal liability or ‘making the…

Hospital sees major improvements following reports of numerous faults

Posted: 31 December 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Bedford Hospital has been deemed “fully compliant” after recently having sanctions imposed on it following an inspection that revealed numerous faults. Out of the eight problem areas highlighted by inspectors, seven of these are now in accordance with national standards.  With areas such as nutrition, patient respect and staffing levels seeing major improvements, a minor concern remains about systems of quality monitoring. Areas for improvement Patient respectCareNutritionPatient and staff safetyStaffing levels (lack of qualified, skilled and experienced staff on duty) The inspection, which took place in summer, reviewed the hospital’s stroke…

Are Shropshire’s maternity services safe?

Posted: 6 December 2013

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

After a commissioned report deemed Shropshire’s maternity services “safe” following the death of a baby in 2009, her parents still believe that this is not the case. Kate Stanton-Davies died shortly after being born with anaemia in Ludlow Community Hospital and was transferred to Birmingham’s Heartlands Hospital before she died. Rhiannon Stanton-Davies argues that the review was not thorough enough, and that she feels that “no lessons have been learnt” from the accident. An inquest into the death of baby Kate found that a haemorrhage had occurred “at least a…

Needle left inside patient following surgery

Posted: 29 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised for a recent incident involving a patient leaving surgery with a needle still inside them. It was discovered that, despite the patient having left the operating theatre at the end of the procedure, one of the surgical needles had been left under the patient’s skin. This follows a previous incident that took place at Derriford Hospital earlier in the month, whereby a naso-gastric tube – used for feeding and administering medication – was ‘misplaced’. Both of these accidents have been noted in a board agenda of…

Report finds worrying A&E doctor shortage

Posted: 22 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A report into the standards of care at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton has revealed a worrying lack of senior doctors in the accident and emergency department during the night and over weekends. The inspection was carried out at the hospital in September: a hospital with 700 beds, 30 wards and 15 operating theatres. Even though inspectors deemed the hospital “safe”, with most of the patients being happy with the care being provided, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlighted many areas where improvements were necessary. One area that was particularly suffering from…

Killer surgeon attempts to resume practice

Posted: 7 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After a surgeon from Blackpool Victoria Hospital was issued with a 21-month suspended sentence in 2004, after admitting to manslaughter, he has applied to be a doctor again. Steven Walker was issued with the 21-month suspended sentence following the death of 71-year-old patient Dorothy McPhee through medical negligence. The General Medical Council then struck him off after he pleaded guilty to the negligence in 2005. The General Medical Council told media that it was “rare” for doctors or surgeons to be completely removed from the medical register and to then be restored…

New bosses for failing hospital

Posted: 27 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

After the Queen Elizabeth NHS Trust in King’s Lynn was put under a ‘special measures’ programme following the Keogh report, a new team has been installed to improve the hospital’s service. The hospital trust was deemed high risk for providing “poor care” in a report carried out earlier this year. A new chairman and chief executive have been recruited to oversee the much-needed improvements to management. The health regulator monitor has also appointed an experienced improvement director to manage the trust’s turnaround. This intervention follows the worrying findings of the Care Quality Commission…

Four of Stafford’s doctors face no disciplinary action

Posted: 24 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Four of Stafford Hospital’s senior doctors will not face disciplinary action despite having been involved in the neglect and abuse scandal that the hospital has been recently criticised for. The General Medical Council has investigated Dr John Gibson, Dr Valerie Suarez, Dr David Durrans and Dr Dermot Mulherin, all with senior management positions, yet the regulator has said that the cases are being dropped against each of them. The cases have been dropped as legal advice suggested that there would be “no realistic prospect” of success. The decision has been made…

Hospital fails to protect patients from Legionnaires’ disease

Posted: 6 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Basildon Hospital’s inability to control legionella bacteria has resulted in the deaths of two people since 2007, a court has heard. The Essex-based hospital has been criticised for their high mortality rates after a fatal legionella infestation killed two patients and infected six others over the last 6 years. The hospital “apologised severely” in January for failing to abide by the Health and Safety at Work Act, and was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday. The deaths of 74-year-old James Compton from Billericay (who died in 2007), and 54-year-old Raymond…

Critical report reveals major hospital failings

Posted: 29 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A report carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed major concerns about Bedford Hospital. The report highlighted issues regarding staffing, the monitoring of service quality and the level of care in the elderly-patient wards. After inspectors visited the accident and emergency department, the stroke unit, and two of the three elderly care wards last month, they left the hospital with “major concerns”. The hospital’s acting chief executive, Stephen Conroy, said that they would address the highlighted issues as quickly and effectively as possible. Mr Conroy continued by saying: “We welcome…

Ambulance trust responsible for death of baby

Posted: 21 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

17-week-old Bella Hellings’ parents blame the ambulance trust for the death of their child, after an ambulance took 26 minutes to reach the home following their 999 call. A report has found that the ambulance trust made a “significant number of operational errors” when handling the child’s case. Bella’s mother, Amy Carter, phoned 999 in March, after realising that Bella was having a fit and had stopped breathing.  After an ambulance eventually arrived 26 minutes later, it proceeded to get lost on countless occasions during their return to West Suffolk…

Reopening of minor injuries unit following petition

Posted: 5 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

After Malton Hospital in North Yorkshire reduced their opening hours, over 10,000 people signed a petition in an attempt to revert the decision. Marches were carried out throughout December after the plans were announced that it would close during evenings and weekends. The decision to cut hours was originally made by NHS North Yorkshire and York, arguing that they needed to reduce their budget deficit. However, after the Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) took over the health service in April, they reviewed the decision and decided to reopen at weekends. The…

Two never events are investigated in Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Posted: 5 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

What the Department of Health calls “never events” have occurred twice in a hospital in Devon last month. One of the said ‘events’ involved a blood transfusion of the wrong blood type, and the other comprised an unneeded angiogram – whereby a tube is fed into the patient’s heart. Both of these uncontrolled, and particularly invasive, procedures have caused a lot of questions to be asked regarding the safety of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s service. Hospital managers have confirmed that they are currently investigating the reasoning behind these fatal errors. “Never…

Birth Injury Claims

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, Uncategorised

The birth of a child is a special time, but can be ruined by the negligence of the hospital and / or a medical professional. If this results in harm to the baby and / or the mother, then you could be entitled to bring a claim for compensation with the assistance of a birth injury claims solicitor. Whilst some complications are unavoidable, others are not. Medical professionals have a duty of care to ensure that their standards meet that of other reasonable medical professionals. If the level of care…

Hospital Patients who fleed fire treated for smoke inhalation

Posted: 3 June 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Public Place Accidents

A fire broke out at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on Saturday – causing four of the hospital’s patients to require urgent treatment. Three patients had to be treated due to smoke inhalation, and the other sustained a minor hand injury when trying to flee the building.  The fire broke out in ward four – positioned on the second floor of the Aylesbury hospital – resulting in a total of 53 patients being evacuated.  Three surrounding wards have been affected by water and smoke damage. Potential visitors to wards 4, 5 and 7 were…

Health Ombudsman welcomes cosmetic surgery report

Posted: 25 April 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

The Health Ombudsman, Julie Mellor, has welcomed the publication of the Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions by Sir Bruce Keogh, Health Service Medical Director. The report, published earlier this week, was commissioned in the aftermath of the PiP breast implant scandal, which revealed that there were problems with some aspects of the cosmetic surgery sector, including record keeping, product quality and after care – all of which being types of clinical negligence. The report makes a number of recommendations, including a call for an ombudsman for private health…

Safety event advises on reducing sharps injuries

Posted: 26 March 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Workplace Injuries

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Healthcare Group has held an event in Northern Ireland giving advice to healthcare organisations on how new laws can help them reduce needle, scalpel blade and other sharps injuries in the healthcare industry. The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013, which implement the EU Directive 2010/2013, are due to come into force this spring. The regulations are designed to prevent sharps injuries in the hospital and health and social care sector, and introduce new and updated measures to protect…

Government tackles medical ‘never events’

Posted: 10 February 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

A number of measures have recently been introduced by the Government in an attempt to make the NHS more transparent and accountable. In particular, the Government has focused on improving patient safety by reducing the occurrence of so called ‘never events’ throughout Britain’s hospitals. Never events Never events are serious patient safety incidents that, by definition, should never happen. These typically include incidents such as surgery being carried out on the wrong part of the body, or surgical equipment being left inside a patient after an operation. At the end…

MPS reveals “Melanoma blackspot" amounting to clinical negligence

Posted: 9 January 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cancer Diagnosis

More than nine in ten claims over delayed diagnosis of melanoma involve GPs, according to figures released by the Medical Protection Society (MPS). Within the last decade, MPS has opened hundreds of cases – working out at a new case almost every two weeks. Of these, a third result in claims of clinical negligence. Dr Richard Stacey, Medicolegal Advisor at the Medical Protection Society, said: “These figures reveal a serious melanoma blackspot when it comes to delays in diagnosis.” “Now is the time to deal with this blackspot – focusing…

Medical Negligence Injury Compensation in Bradford

Posted in: Medical Negligence

If you have suffered an injury as a result of medical negligence, then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation, which you can do with the assistance of a medical negligence compensation solicitor in Bradford. As our clinical negligence solicitors** for Bradford will explain, medical professionals such as doctors, surgeons, and dentists have a duty of care towards the health and safety of their patients. This is why their negligence could result in a compensation claim. No one is saying that medical professionals intentionally cause injury (and…