We were instructed by the parents of a girl who was born with brain damage leading to the neurological condition cerebral palsy which significantly affects her movement and
co-ordination.
Her parents wanted to understand how this had happened believing that it was entirely preventable. Our investigations found that during their daughter’s birth, medical staff had administered excessive amounts of a labour inducing stimulant.
We recently represented the family of a young grandmother aged 61 who was admitted to her local hospital via ambulance complaining of a warm, swollen and painful knee.
Acutely aware of a family history of deaths due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), medical staff were alerted to the fact by her family on the day of her admission.
Medical staff however, failed to note this or carry out the appropriate tests or start the appropriate treatment. An MRI scan was requested the next day, however, it was not viewed to be urgent so this did not take place.
Our client was obese and suffered with diabetes and infertility problems when it was agreed that a gastric bypass procedure may help ease these conditions, the procedure led to her avoidable death however.
Following her operation, she was provided with dietary advice however, just two and a half months later, she was seen by a specialist suffering with vomiting and showing signs of micronutrient deficiency and was given vitamin supplements.
Five months following her gastric bypass, her diet was considered to be fine however, she was having difficulty with consuming bread and meat. She was subsequently discharged after failing to attend her follow up appointments.
It could be said that part of the magic of Christmas is that an indulgence pass is allowed and health matters are temporarily shelved as we cater to our heart’s desire of food, fun and festive tipples.
A New Year often signals a more focused look at our general health with diets and gym memberships hitting a high as we start a new year. Spotting and acting on unusual symptoms early, and understanding the medical care you’re entitled to, is as important as maintaining regular exercise and a balanced five-a-day diet.
Stories highlighting cases of medical negligence are unfortunately all too common. For patients who sadly find themselves in this unfortunate position, the effects are long lasting and the physical injury is only part of the pain caused.
Many will experience significant financial hardship if their ability to return to work has been reduced or has become impossible due to their avoidable injury. Some will need to make significant home adaptations if they find themselves in a wheelchair as a result for example or require 24 hour care following the incident.
A woman who had undergone a successful hip replacement and beaten cancer, has been left permanently disabled due to a series of hospital blunders including delayed diagnosis and treatment left her unable to live independently, living in constant pain and suffering depression.
A historic, and successful, hip replacement operation had improved her mobility and ensured she was free of pain but a few years later, she injured her leg and experienced significant pain. She was taken to hospital by ambulance as it continued into the following day.
Jeremy Hunt has announced a new rapid compensation scheme for families of babies disabled due to medical blunders, good news on the face of it, but affected families could be left with significantly less than they need according to medical negligence solicitors at Linder Myers.
Hunt has launched the initiative in a bid to make the NHS more transparent and to help those impacted to ‘avoid the anguish of going to court’. Additional funding has also been promised for NHS training and for improvements to maternity care, setting targets to reduce the number of still births and neonatal deaths by 2030.
New regulations and safety advice have been launched this year recognising the growing popularity – and potential risks – of cosmetic surgery procedures ranging from breast implants to tummy tucks and facelifts.
A previously unregulated industry, cosmetic surgery procedures have been hit by controversy in recent years with negative stories never far from the headlines. From the PIP implants scandal just a few years ago which involved leaking and unapproved silicon gel, to shocking images of celebrities post procedure and frequent media headlines on cosmetic surgery gone horribly wrong.
We recently represented a patient who despite visiting a doctor complaining of having leg pain, and advising that there was a family history of thrombosis, suffered a below the knee amputation due to a misdiagnosis just days earlier.
Our client led an active lifestyle enjoying several outdoor hobbies when he developed significant pain in his leg which extended from one of his knees down to his foot. Aware of a family history of thrombosis, he attended an appointment with his GP immediately.
A recent study into the number of diabetes related amputations has reported that NHS Blackpool CCG has seen a 34% increase in major incidents during 2014/15 compared to the 2009 – 2012 period. The report also showed that there were more than double the number of major diabetes related amputations in the town compared to…
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery is on the increase, with between 9000 and 10,000 procedures being undertaken in the UK every year. This surgery is risky and requires the skill of an experienced surgeon. If you receive substandard care, you may be able to bring a claim for negligence. Types of weight…
News this week of the avoidable death of six year old Jack Adcock as a result of the gross negligence of the medical professionals responsible for his care will strike to the heart of many.
Any death is tragically sad but even more so when it is avoidable, is caused by the mistakes of trusted professionals and when it involves a young child with their whole lives in front of them.
Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba was found guilty of manslaughter at the Nottingham Crown Court following a trial which lasted several weeks. Agency nurse Isabel Amaro was also convicted of the same offence.
When a patient undergoes medical tests it is natural to assume, and trust, that the results will be correct. This is particularly pertinent when the tests being carried out are to detect the early signs of serious illnesses such as cancer.
Unfortunately, as recent investigations into the work of pathologist Dr Bertrand Denarie have reminded us, it is sadly not necessarily an assumption we can always make.
Currently under investigation by a number of NHS Trusts and the General Medical Council, it is believed that Dr Denarie made a significant number of errors in his reporting of cervical biopsies. The Dr has worked in a number of hospitals in Bristol, Gateshead and Greater Manchester.
A substantial six figure sum has been secured for a Worcestershire woman left with debilitating injuries after a series of routine smear tests were misreported leading to avoidable cancer treatment.
Ms C, now 45 years old, attended routine smear tests at her local GP practice in 2003 and 2007. The results, tested in laboratories owned by two separate NHS Trusts, came back as normal but on later examination it was discovered that both should have at least identified pre-cancerous cell changes.
It was recently reported that a hip replacement operation had been successfully carried out on what is believed to be the oldest patient who had new ceramic hips fitted at the age of 112 following a fall which caused a fracture.
Gladys Hooper from the Isle of Wight is quoted as saying that she felt “somewhere near 80” in age following the operation at St Mary’s Hospital. According to NHS figures, 66,000 hip replacement operations were carried out in England and Wales in 2013.
The government recently announced at the Conservative Party Conference that GPs in England would be offered voluntary contracts to work seven days a week amidst wider significant budget cuts and growing concerns about the future of the National Health Service.
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt, unpopular at least amongst junior doctors at the moment, wants seven day GP surgery opening hours with patients able to see a doctor between 8am and 8pm every day of the week.
An article recently published by GP targeted Pulse magazine, revealed that the NHS bodies responsible for overseeing GP practice budgets were giving financial incentives to encourage a reduction in the number of patients referred to hospital for further investigations or treatment.
The worrying news identified that Clinical Commission Groups (CCG’s) in nine different parts of the country were implementing the initiative against a backdrop of significant NHS budget cuts and worrying statistics on early cancer diagnosis.
Two years ago the Keogh Review inspected 14 hospitals in England and Wales placing 11 of them into Special Measures. Tameside Hospital was one of the 11 and the only hospital in Manchester to be targeted by the review which was tasked to inspect NHS Trusts with high mortality rates.
Criticized for a number of areas including its poor quality of patient care and lack of staff, the Trust was taken out of Special Measures in mid-September 2015 yet still has a number of areas highlighted as ‘needing improvement’ including safety, effectiveness and responsiveness.
Recent news revealing that hundreds of diabetics had missed out on follow up eye tests in the Lancashire and Cumbria region has been an eye opener to the risks faced in these circumstances.
The patients concerned had not been offered the necessary follow up eye tests after being diagnosed with diabetes as a result of failings within the NHS.
Patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes are particularly vulnerable to developing diabetic retinopathy which occurs if blood sugar levels get too high damaging cells at the back of the eye. If there are delays in spotting the symptoms, and delays in providing the correct treatment, this can lead to blindness.
There has been increasing interest in the press in relation to the legal fees involved in clinical negligence cases with a quote that these types of claims cost £1.1 billion during 2014/15 placing pressure on the NHS.
The NHS faces a number of challenges not least from factors such as increasing patient demand, an ageing population and the requirement to make significant cost cuts simultaneously. While the media focusses on the costs involved in clinical negligence cases, the headlines fail to paint the full picture.
© Copyright 2016 Linder Myers
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