Pages On: NHS Claims
The NHS is an excellent organisation that saves so many lives. Having such a resource allows the people of the UK to not constantly fret about choosing between their finances and their health. However, that does mean the NHS is under routine strain from the vast quantities of patients, as well as mismanagement from higher up. Patients can often wait weeks before seeing a GP, and months, sometimes even years, for referrals. In the event of serious illness, this can be too late to combat. There are also the chances of surgical mistakes, misdiagnosis, birth injury and a myriad of other types of medical negligence. If the NHS has failed in its duty of care to you, and you have suffered as a result, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Dentist in “biggest recall in NHS history”
Posted: 31 January 2016
Posted in: Dental Negligence, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
The 18-month suspension of Desmond D’Mello, the dentist involved in “the biggest recall in NHS history” could be extended by another few months if the High Court rules in favour of the extension by the General Dental Council (GDC). The suspension, which was imposed in August of 2014, is due to expire in February. Experts need more time to investigate after around 22 thousand patients were recalled, many to be tested for HIV and Hepatitis. A further 4526 patients were screened for blood-bourne viruses following D’Mello’s suspension from the Daybrook…
Read MoreUndiagnosed injury case settled
Posted: 7 September 2015
Posted in: Foot Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Robert McCartney has been awarded compensation after his tendon injury went undiagnosed for several weeks. He brought the medical negligence claim against his GP after he was turned away and told to rest despite his clear symptoms of a ruptured tendo-achilles. In April 2010, Mr McCartney had been outside his home when he slipped backwards off a step and experienced a ‘snap’ sensation in the back of his left ankle. When it became swollen and the pain increased, he applied ice packs and rested his ankle that evening. The next…
Read MoreLegal test case could cost NHS millions
Posted: 8 May 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
The husband of Julie Ronayne has won thousands of pounds in compensation for nervous shock after witnessing his wife’s severe peritonitis following a botched operation. It was heard in court that Edward Ronayne suffered a severe psychiatric injury after witnessing his wife’s condition, which later led to him developing an “adjustment disorder”. Mrs Ronayne developed peritonitis after undergoing a negligent hysterectomy carried out at Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2008. The infection caused Mrs Ronayne to break out in severe swelling all over her body. After eventually making a full recovery,…
Read MoreMPs call for an NHS accident investigations unit
Posted: 31 March 2015
Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Following recent debate, MPs have called for the launch of a national medical accident investigations unit. Members of the House of Commons Public Administration select committee said that it was a much called for service due to the scale of problems currently being handled within the NHS. The group of MPs described the current accident investigations system as “too complicated” and complained that it “took too long”. Government ministers agreed that such a unit was required after the publication of the ‘Morecambe Bay hospital inquiry’, detailing the figures surrounding baby…
Read MoreSkull surgeon compensation scheme
Posted: 7 March 2015
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
An NHS Trust has set up a compensation scheme for all those affected by the negligent treatment of an NHS surgeon. Roger Bainton was a skull surgeon who reconstructed the faces of accident and assault victims at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. However, it was discovered during an investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC) that he was using an unproven bone substitute to rebuild the faces of patients. Of all 88 patients that he treated, 18 were harmed as a result of this experimental procedure. Mr Bainton was…
Read MoreNHS at ‘breaking point’
Posted: 6 October 2014
Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Numerous charities and leading medical groups have warned that the NHS is at “breaking point”. A letter composed by the leaders of these organisations was released over the weekend, highlighting the vast number of problems that need to be fixed in order for the NHS to be saved from it “buckling under the twin crises of rising demand and flat-lining budgets”. The letter highlighted that patient care and staff morale are two key areas being consistently neglected by the NHS. Within these two core zones for improvement, patients are struggling…
Read MoreNHS complaints continue to rise
Posted: 28 August 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Official data has revealed that NHS England receives an average of 480 complaints every day. This has been recorded by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) as an 8% rise in 2013-14 on the previous year. Complaints cover all aspects of the health service, ranging from GPs to ambulances. With the data already presenting a worrying figure, a patients’ watchdog said that this is just the tip of the iceberg. In 2013-14 a total of 174,900 complaints were made about the NHS. The previous year, however, saw only…
Read MoreNHS Trust faces investigation following death
Posted: 15 April 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death
An NHS trust faces investigation following the death of a patient who was being treated under critical care at Hereford County Hospital. The death of the patient came after a complaint had been made concerning the hospital’s medical and surgical management, which has been referred to the NHS ombudsman. A second complaint had also been made against the Trust after a patient underwent a hysterectomy, arguing that she had been “unhappy” about the standard of follow-up treatment. WYE Valley NHS Trust (WVT) has seen a recent increase in complaints, with latest…
Read MoreNHS wants to halve serious mistakes
Posted: 27 March 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested that individual NHS trusts draw up plans to reduce the number of serious mistakes they make every year. He hopes to potentially halve the number of serious, and avoidable, mistakes made within the NHS, with the hope to save around 6,000 lives over the next three years. The project, called ‘Sign up to Safety’, will be wholly reliant on individual trusts identifying the number of mistakes they make, from which they will each be able to draw up a plan to potentially reduce the…
Read MoreStafford Hospital may change name following negligence scandal
Posted: 11 February 2014
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
The NHS Trust due to take over Stafford Hospital is in discussion about whether or not the hospital should be renamed to escape negative connotations following the negligence scandal of last year. The trust that operates the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS), based in Stoke-on-Trent, said that the board discussed the possibility of renaming the hospital on Friday. This would mean changing the names of both Stafford Hospital and the main hospital in Stoke-on-Trent to its own name. Prior to going into administration, the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust was…
Read MoreHospital death could have been avoided
Posted: 27 November 2013
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death
After a radiology specialist accidentally cut an artery of a man suffering from high blood pressure, a coroner said that his death could have been “avoided”. 47-year-old Brian Galea, from Preston, was admitted to the Royal Preston Hospital on the 14th of August last year, but died only a few hours later due to the specialist’s serious error. It was heard at Preston Coroner’s Court that the specialist had been trying to remove a blood clot at the time of the incident, accidently tearing one of his arteries. Coroner Dr…
Read MoreSecret filming in the NHS reveals worrying treatment of brain injury patients
Posted: 20 November 2013
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
BBC Newsnight has revealed worryingly low standards of care being provided to patients suffering from brain injuries in NHS hospitals. Secret footage was passed onto Newsnight by the partner of a brain-injury victim, which showed extreme cases of patient neglect and highlighted hospital failures concerning safety procedures. After seeing the footage, one expert told Newsnight that the levels of care being provided to patients would result in longer and poorer recoveries from their injuries. NHS England has defended the case by telling BBC that they are constantly trying to improve…
Read MoreNHS England must be made simpler
Posted: 17 June 2013
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
After one NHS leader described the NHS’s A&E care as being on “cliff-edge”, a review of the services has been sparked in an attempt to improve the overall efficiency of the system – providing simpler and better 24/7 care. With all of the NHS’ services being in high demand – due to factors such as the ageing population, new treatments and an increase in long-term illnesses – many members of the public feel misdirected when seeking medical treatment. The review that Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS medical director, carried out…
Read MoreMore transparency to drive up NHS safety
Posted: 7 November 2012
Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has published new data showing the number of NHS “never events” reported over the last two years and highlighted fresh action to improve care and reduce medical negligence. Never events are serious patient safety incidents that, by definition, should never happen. Never events include events such as surgery on the wrong part of the body, or surgical instruments being left in the body after an operation. The data shows that over 300 never events were reported to Strategic Health Authorities over the past year. It is…
Read MoreReport into NHS maternity care claims
Posted: 1 November 2012
Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims
Having a baby while in the care of the NHS is very safe, according to a recently published report. However, more training, development and support for clinical staff could help to protect mothers and their babies from accidental injury. The report published by the NHS Litigation Authority, which manages legal claims made against the NHS in England, examined ten years of claims arising from NHS maternity care. While 5.5 million babies were born in England during the decade from 1st April 2000 to 31st March 2010, these resulted in 5,087…
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