The Medical Negligence Blog

NHS’ New Year’s glitch that may have caused patient’s death

The NHS and London Ambulance Service suffered technical problems that caused delays which may have caused a patient’s death over the New Year period.

A separate inquiry was launched into whether the technical problems was a contributory factor to a patient’s death. The crashing of a computer meant that control centre employees had to use the old-fashioned method of pen and paper to take down emergency 999 calls for approximately 5 hours, which has been linked to the death.
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What is a delay in a diagnosis claim?

As the head of our clinical negligence department says, one thing is for sure; a delay in a diagnosis is a difficult and tricky topic.

The delay in a diagnosis can apply to any existing medical condition that you may have, and the smallest of delays can even have fatal consequences. That’s why it’s important for medical professionals to avoid diagnosis delays, and that’s why we have to step in if something does go wrong.
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Cosmetic surgery compensation advice

Cosmetic surgery has been on the rise for a number of years now.

Cosmetic surgery aims to improve a person’s appearance, and includes surgery to “wind back the clock” such as Botox and breast implants. These are seen as elective surgeries as they are not actually needed in order to live, as such; but it’s understandable as to why many people would choose to go under the knife.
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Cancer delayed diagnosis compensation claim advice

Cancer is where abnormal cells within the body divide in an uncontrollable way. This can then cause the cancer to spread to other parts of the body, and can usually result in death.

There are over 200 different types of cancer. According to Cancer Research, 1 in 2 people born after 1960 in the UK will get some form of cancer in their lifetime. Anyone can be affected by cancer irrelevant of age or gender, but it is said to be more common as you get older. The most common types of cancer being; breast, prostate, lung, or bowel.

Diagnosing cancer correctly and at an early stage can be key to survival.
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Failure to diagnose stroke symptoms

A stroke is a life threatening condition where the blood supply is cut off to the brain. There are three main signs of a stroke; one side of the face may drop; you may be unable to lift your arms or keep them their because of weakness or them being numb; and speech may be slurred and the person unable to talk.

If any of these signs are spotted, it is important that you act as quickly as possible.

The sooner a stroke is identified and treated, the better chance a person has of surviving and suffering fewer problems afterwards.
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Cauda Equina Syndrome compensation claims advice

Cauda Equina Syndrome is a neurological condition that is usually classed as a surgical emergency. It is rare; but is a very serious condition that is caused by pressure on the nerves in the lumbar spine and / or a narrowing of the spinal canal.

Treatment is required very quickly to relieve or stop the pressure on the nerves. If treatment is not sought quickly enough, this can lead to the patient suffering paralysis, neurological problems, loss of bladder and bowel control, and (sometimes lifelong) physical impairment.
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Multiple medical errors at the Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust

Both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary have come under fire recently due to multiple failings found within the Trusts.

One such incident was a clear and serious error when staff at Calderdale Hospital undertook an intimate examination of the wrong patient between July and September 2016.

We all know the NHS has a tough job in tough conditions, but there are some things that are clearly preventable.
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Sepsis compensation claims advice

Sepsis – also known as blood poisoning – is a potentially life threatening condition that can be triggered by an infection where the body works overtime in order to fight it. By working overtime, the body can reduce the amount of blood flow that it sends to the vital organs, which can eventually cause them to shut down.

This can lead to multiple organ failure, or even death.

For those reasons, sepsis needs to be caught early to prevent it developing to the point where the body begins to shut down organs or ultimately kill someone. In cases where medical staff have failed to do this, patients may be able to claim compensation for medical negligence.
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GPs and hospitals are unnecessarily prescribing antibiotics

A recent survey shows that antibiotics and narcotics are often over-prescribed, with some experts worldwide suggesting that they’re frequently prescribed when they’re not necessary, and may actually do more harm than good.

The survey revealed that patients use antibiotics or narcotics despite guidelines showing little effectiveness of taking them. There is rising concern in the U.K. that the NHS are providing patients with services and products that aren’t needed, which is concerning from both a health and a cost perspective.
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“NHS failings caused avoidable deaths” – An internal report showed many mothers and babies tragically died due to ‘clinical errors, poor staff attitudes and chronic shortages’

According to a recent NHS report, numerous mothers and babies tragically died at NHS hospitals in Manchester and Oldham.

The medical review was carried out in June by the maternity director, Deborah Carter, at the Pennine Acute Hospital Trusts, which operates North Manchester General and Royal Oldham hospitals. The report highlighted that mothers and babies were dying due to ‘clinical errors, poor staff attitudes and chronic shortages’. Ms Carter highlighted that negligence caused a ‘string of avoidable deaths and long-term injuries caused by failures over many years’.
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Gynaecology compensation claims

As gynaecology is the care of the female reproductive organs, it’s understandably a very sensitive subject.

Its scope can include investigating fertility problems, different types of contraception, any medical disorders (such a polycystic ovaries), issues relating to the menopause, pregnancy problems (such as miscarriage,) and illnesses like ovarian cancer.

It’s therefore a very important thing for medical professionals to get right, as getting it wrong can lead to serious and often life changing problems.
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Meningitis compensation claims

Meningitis is a deadly disease where the protective membrane that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord becomes infected. It can come in two forms: viral and bacterial.

Viral meningitis can be less serious and generally gets better by itself, and can be treated at home. If it is bacterial, however, it can be very serious indeed.

If it’s not treated quickly it can lead to partial or full loss of hearing or vision, possible amputation of limbs that have been affected, epilepsy, and co-ordination and balance problems.
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