The Medical Negligence Blog

The line between due diligence and medical negligence is thin

It’s fair to say that the line between due diligence and potential medical negligence is thin. We all know that the NHS is stretched, and services like GPs and A&E Departments must remain efficient and well-funded.

It’s therefore understandable that NHS campaigns nowadays sometimes try and persuade people to only use NHS services where it’s absolutely necessary. In days gone by, doctors may have frowned upon patients Googling their symptoms and jumping to irrational conclusions, but in today’s increasingly digital age, patients are actually encouraged to look online before they use NHS time.

But, the line between this is worryingly thin.
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Advice on No Win, No Fee claims for NHS drug errors

NHS drug errors can leave patients suffering serious harm, and they can also cause fatalities. Even the smallest error with a dosage or a prescription could be the difference between life and death for some, which is why the government are aiming to drastically reduce what they have labelled as “appalling levels of harm and death” related to drug errors.

We advise and represent patients who have suffered harm because of NHS drug errors. From incorrect prescription dosage claims to clients being prescribed the wrong course of treatment… If you’ve suffered harm due to an NHS drug error, you may have a claim for medical negligence.
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Scientists say anti-depressants work, and more people should be offered them

A recent study published by Lancet says that anti-depressants work, and its believed more than a million extra people should be offered them.

Results from the studies found that all common anti-depressants were more effective than the placebos offered.

There is, however, a reported reluctance to prescribe them, and many people feel that taking pills for low mood problems are a last resort. Will the new studies serve to allay doctors’ concerns about over-prescribing medication?
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Patients put at risk due to ambulance delays because their stuck in overcrowded A&E departments

The delay for ambulance crews being able to hand patients over to hospitals in overcrowded A&E departments is said to be putting lives at risk.

With NHS figures indicating that almost 150,000 patients were cared for by ambulance crews for over half an hour over winter, from either being stuck in the back of an ambulance or in hospital corridors, crews are caught at hospital when they could be out on the road and ready to help people.

For every ambulance crew stuck at hospital looking after a patient because the A&E department is unable to take them as a result of overcrowding, there is a patient at home waiting for an ambulance that may not arrive in time.
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UK Cancer care criticised as survival rates fall short

The UK has reportedly failed to adequately improve on cancer survival rates, according to a global study. Potentially thousands of people are dying as a result of inadequate care when compared to other wealthy countries who are said to be improving at a better rate, leaving Britain behind.

Although survival rates have improved, the UK is falling behind when compared to similar nations.

With patients in Britain said to still be dying earlier when compared with other countries, it seems like we have cause for concern.
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Doctors concerned people addicted to prescription drugs may not be receiving enough help

America is currently suffering with what is widely reported as an “opioid crisis” off the back of what some have alleged is a simple case of over-prescribing medications to patients for an array of ailments that can be treatable by other means. In the UK, there are concerns that doctors are relying on prescription drugs too much to treat people with ailments or issues they could use alternative help for, and the upshot is patients getting addicted to such medication.

Whether it’s a case that the dangers of such medications need to be better explained or better controlled, or where it’s down to the need to prescribe less medication – or both – doctors are worried that the lack of help for patients hooked on drugs is putting lives at risk.
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Should good standards of cancer care be made law?

Missed diagnosis claims, and claims where patients are misdiagnosed, are unfortunately common. One of the biggest problems with such incidents is where the misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis is for something as serious as cancer, where the window of opportunity for cancer care or treatment to start can be very slim.

Unfortunately, in many cancer misdiagnosis or missed cancer diagnosis cases, it’s too late for the victim by the time the error is recognised.

Because of this, some say that good quality cancer care should be introduced as law in the UK. But, will it help?
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NHS pushing patient waiting times to three months may see rise in incidents, lawyers warn

New waiting times for routine operations in some parts of the country could see patients having to wait up to a minimum of three months before their procedure takes place.

Hip operations and cardiac procedures are among those that fall within the new lengthier patient waiting times, which could lead to complications arising as patients have to wait longer for treatment.

Patient waiting times average is around seven and a half weeks, but new measures introduced in Lincolnshire mean patients may be waiting almost twice as long in efforts to cut costs as lawyers warn that the new measures may see incidents increase.
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The dangers of the NHS diverting people away to private services

The principle of only seeing your doctor if you need to, and only going to hospital or dialling 999 in an emergency, is sensible.

As many ambulances often advertise: you wouldn’t call the fire department to blow out a candle, would you?

The idea is that you should try and help yourself before using the NHS; but what about the dangers of diverting patients for self-care or private care? What are we risking here?
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Two-year wait for mental-health treatment not good enough

According to a BBC Freedom of Information request, a third of NHS Trusts are missing the government guidelines for psychological therapy, which should start within six weeks for 75% of referrals.

What’s more concerning is that, in some cases, there were patients waiting more than two years for the vital mental health treatment they needed.

Mental health intervention is key to saving lives. Although we all know the NHS is stretched right now, lives are clearly at risk if some patients are having to wait too long for the psychological treatment they need.
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The worrying trend of data breaches will not help the NHS funding situation

Data breaches are practically the new norm, and with healthcare sector breaches at the top of the pile, we have a lot of reasons to be worried as a nation relying on a public-funded healthcare system.

For the private healthcare systems like they have in the U.S., the liability and the costs can fall on a private organisation or their insurance. In the U.K., the taxpayer picks up the tab.

The increasing numbers of healthcare sector data breaches is not helping the NHS funding situation at all.
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Medical negligence compensation claims – a few facts

Medical negligence compensation is a hotly-debated topic. On the one hand, we have a stretched and underfunded public health service that could do without legal cases eating up millions of taxpayers’ pounds in pay-outs and legal fees, but on the other hand, we have the victims.

One of the major problems with medical negligence claims is that they’re often complex to run. Unlike a road accident where someone hits the back of another driver and it’s usually obvious who is at fault, in a medical negligence claim, it can be far harder to determine whether any negligence has occurred. The case often requires in-depth investigations and an expert lawyer representing you for the case; both of which costs money.
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