Pages On: Medical Negligence

NHS 111 criticised following child sepsis deaths

Posted: 15 March 2016

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

NHS England has recently published a report following investigations into the death of a one-year-old boy when NHS 111 failed to recognise his symptoms. William Mead from Cornwall died in 2014 of blood poisoning. The report said that both a GP and NHS 111 had failed to recognise his symptoms, and had told William’s mother, Melissa Mead, that his condition was not serious. Mrs Mead was told by NHS 111 “not to worry”, and the report states that William’s life could have been saved if the symptoms had been treated. Press has reported…

9-year-old killed as a result of sepsis misdiagnosis

Posted: 15 March 2016

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

A nine-year-old boy lost his life after being sent home from an Accident and Emergency ward suffering from undiagnosed sepsis. Dame Julie Mellor, Health Service Ombudsman, highlighted the case in a report recently published, claiming that doctors at Whiston Hospital, Merseyside sent Thomas Hull home after diagnosing him with a “mild chest infection”. She claims that he was seen by a medic who was trying to free beds up in the unit, and states that more mistakes were made during his consultation. Thomas was taken to the A&E unit by his mother,…

Man dies of septicaemia following hospital operation

Posted: 1 March 2016

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

Staff at the Royal Derby Hospital grossly failed to care for Simon Tulitt, 62, who died of septicaemia three days after an operation for colon cancer on 31 May 2013, an inquest heard. Derby and Derbyshire assistant coroner, Paul McCandless told the inquest that the neglect had “directly contributed” to Mr Tullit’s death. Investigations found that correct antibiotics had not been administered to the patient from Yoxall which could have avoided Mr Tullit contracting E-Coli septicaemia, a recognised complication of the surgery. “death directly contributed to by neglect” Mr McCandless ordered Derby…

Care home boss admits manslaughter through dehydration & malnutrition

Posted: 9 February 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Care home boss, 47-year-old Yousaf Khan, was sentenced to three years and two months in jail by Nottingham Crown Court after he admitted to manslaughter. Khan, of Nelson Road, Nottingham, was in charge of Autumn Grange care home in Sherwood Rise in 2012, where Ivy Atkin died of dehydration and malnutrition. Social services have called on relatives of care home residents to report any concerns they may have following the death of 86-year-old Ivy. Head of adult social care at Nottingham City Council, Helen Jones, stated that most of the council’s…

A&E pressure in Kettering as it sees 30% rise in patients

Posted: 31 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence

The Accident and Emergency department of Kettering General Hospital is experiencing the busiest week in its history to the extent that the NHS trust is cancelling and rearranging non-urgent operations and appointments to allow doctors and nurses to support the struggling department. Dr Andrew Chilton, the hospital’s Medical Director, has said: “The message to patients with conditions that don’t need to be seen at hospital very urgently is please do not come here”. Compared to the same week last year, when the department treated 784 patients – or 196 per…

Overwhelmed NHS trust's A&E and maternity units “unsafe”

Posted: 30 January 2016

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

Services at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust have been deemed “unsafe” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and an inspector has recommended that the hospital should be placed into special measures. It was found that there was a lack of staff in maternity and A&E and reported that nine babies had died in the womb in one year. Inspectors also found that patients attending A&E were not always being adequately triage scored, and that timely treatment was not always forthcoming. 23% rise in emergency admissions In its report, the CQC pointed out that…

“Inadequate and insufficient” mental health care

Posted: 24 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Public Transport, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have been accused of failing to handle adequately the transportation of a mentally ill patient from St John’s hospital in Leeds to a mental health hospital in April 2015. North Yorkshire Coroner, Michael Oakley, described the arrangements as “inadequate and insufficient” as he recorded an open verdict at the hearing. 40-year-old Michael South from York stole the ambulance and crashed into a double decker bus on the A64 at Flaxton. He died at the scene. Not carried out a risk assessment of the patient Mr Oakley…

Lack of staff leads to closure of fertility service

Posted: 19 January 2016

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Difficulty in recruiting Embryologists at the University Hospital of Hartlepool has resulted in the withdrawal of fertility services by North Tees and Hartlepool Trust at the end of March 2016. The closing of the facility, which carries out approximately 250 In Vitro Fertilisations (IVF) cycles per annum, will mean that patients who are struggling to have children being referred to units in other hospitals.  A “shock announcement” The loss of the facility is being “vehemently” opposed by Hartlepool Council, with Council leader, Christopher Akers-Belche saying: “The announcement has come completely…

NHS birthing error sees £11m payout to cerebral palsy sufferer

Posted: 30 December 2015

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

An NHS trust has paid out £11.5 million in compensation to a boy that now suffers with cerebral palsy as a result of birthing complications. Now 5-years-old, the boy was delivered at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, where hospital staff admitted that had he been born 11 minutes earlier, he would not have suffered any harm. It was heard that his umbilical cord prolapsed during birth, which resulted in a lack of oxygen to his brain. Had this been recognised by midwives earlier, there would have been no lasting damage…

Concerns over winter pressure on A&E as doctors feel unequipped

Posted: 20 December 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

According to emergency doctors, A&E departments across the country are not equipped to deal with winter pressure. Concerns were raised following the weekly update of A&E performance by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. It revealed that 9 in 10 hospitals have increased bed numbers, yet continue to struggle with the rising demands. The RCEM’s weekly report covers more than 40 hospital trusts, providing a brief performance snapshot. The most recent update found that only 86% of patients were being seen within the four-hour waiting time target, far below the…

‘Multiple-birth’ antenatal care raises questions

Posted: 1 December 2015

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

A recently released report has flagged up some serious concerns surrounding ‘multiple-birth’ antenatal care. The report published by the Twins and Multiple Births Association and the NCT found that the care varies drastically across England. A survey of 1,400 parents found patients in the South East and West Midlands to be receiving the worst care, while those in the North East had the best. The report highlighted the fact that NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines on antenatal care were not being implemented, and as a…

Weekend babies have “significantly” greater chance of death

Posted: 25 November 2015

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

New research has revealed that babies born over the weekend in England have a “significantly” higher chance of dying than those born during the week. The research was carried out by the Imperial College London, which found that there were 7.1 deaths per 1,000 babies delivered during weekends. The study took over 1.3million births into account. The researchers made the worrying finding that if every day had the same death rate as a Tuesday, which was the weekday with the lowest, there would be a total of 770 fewer baby…

Health watchdog reports ‘shocking’ care for vulnerable patients

Posted: 8 November 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A health watchdog has uncovered a number of ‘shocking’ care cases, as presented by a recently released report. Healthwatch Oxfordshire produced a report with Age UK, based on 161 patients and 57 staff members completing questionnaires, as well as 6 focus groups and 10 case studies. The report found a number of worrying care cases, with Healthwatch Oxfordshire noting “workforce pressures” as a major contributory factor. The report found that where the majority of patients were treated at an adequate care standard, patients with communication difficulties and dementia felt particularly…

Nurse found guilty of manslaughter of boy with down syndrome

Posted: 2 November 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Following an extensive investigation, it has been found that a nurse was responsible for the death of a six-year-old boy whose resuscitation was wrongly called off. Jack Adcock, who suffered with Down’s syndrome, had been admitted to hospital with pneumonia in February 2011. When sepsis was triggered by a bacterial infection, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died 11 hours after his admittance. 47-year-old agency nurse Isabel Amaro was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. Ms Amaro had worked with children for 20 years, but accepted that she breached…

Children's home proven guilty of drugging with tranquilisers

Posted: 30 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Former Gravesend Church of England children’s home, Kendall House, is to be subject to an investigation following revelations of forcible drugging of its residents. Following a BBC investigation instigated in 2009, it has been alleged that some residents were drugged up to 1200 times with tranquilisers, anti-depressants and drugs to combat the side effects of the aforementioned during the 1980s. ‘Birth to babies with birth defects’ One resident, Teresa Cooper, described to a Radio 4 programme in 2009 as feeling as though her body was “just dying” whilst being injected as…

NHS 111 ‘dangerously understaffed’

Posted: 2 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

A former NHS 111 helpline employer has spoken up about how “dangerously understaffed” the 111 helpline is, with 75% of calls going unanswered as a result. Irsah Tahir had been an NHS 111 call handler in the Derby centre before leaving as a result of the “massive” pressure. She said that the helpline was “swamped” with calls, resulting in the majority of them going unanswered. She added that nurses were often not available to provide assistance, so call staff were forced to provide medical advice. The organisation that runs the…

Police custody care has ‘deteriorated considerably’

Posted: 2 October 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recent inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that the care of people arrested by Cumbria Police has “deteriorated considerably”. The report made some worrying findings, including the fact that mental health assessments and support for young people and vulnerable adults was not always given quickly enough to those in custody. Cumbria Police Criminal Justice Unit Ch Insp Gordon Rutherford said that the force has already started to address these concerns. Aside from custody care concerns, the report also found Cumbria Police to be struggling with some serious administration…

Scheduled review of newborn health care

Posted: 21 August 2015

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

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced that it will be carrying out a review of the health care available to newborn and young babies with severe health problems. Where incidents in the past have tainted the reputation of newborn health care, such as the case of Elizabeth Dixon who died fourteen years ago after a breathing tube was not inserted properly, the CQC says that it wants to carry out a series of inspections to identify the barriers that are preventing the NHS from providing ‘outstanding’ care. The report…

Billions paid out over NHS medical negligence

Posted: 23 July 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

Recently released figures have shown that a total of 20 hospital trusts have paid out £1.1billion for medical negligence in the last five years. When legal costs were included in the bill, more than £4.5billion was paid out for the medical mistakes. According to a recent Telegraph investigation, the legal bill for medical negligence has quadrupled in the past decade. From 2009/10 – 2013/14, the top NHS trusts for medical negligence payouts were: Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals – £79.0m (463 claims)The Leeds Teaching Hospitals – £78.3m (589 claims)Oxford…

‘Dangerous’ care home closed

Posted: 9 June 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A care home in Liverpool, described as “dangerous” and “dirty”, has been closed following recent inspections. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) listed a number of failings at Mossley Manor Care Home, including managers with a “poor understanding” of their duties, insufficient staffing levels, and widespread cleanliness issues. The report drawn up by the CQC highlighted enough health and safety failings to have the care home closed. On 5 June, Liverpool and Knowsley Magistrates’ Crown Court withdrew the registration of Mr Amjad Latif and Mr Amer Latif’s care home. The registration…

Unqualified ‘nurse’ runs botox clinic in her front room

Posted: 31 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Negligent Cosmetic Surgery

A woman, claiming to be an aesthetics nurse practitioner, has been detected as being unqualified to carry out Botox procedures. 49-year-old Marie McGinty was flagged up by a BBC investigation as being unqualified to provide Botox and dermal filler treatments. The Nursing and Midwifery Council has supported this claim, saying she is not registered as a qualified nurse in their records. According to promotional material, Ms McGinty set up Cosmetics Liverpool Limited in 2012, with clinics running in North West and North Wales. Her website claims that she provides “skin…

Woman sues hospital over misdiagnosed fracture

Posted: 29 May 2015

Posted in: Arm Injury, Medical Negligence

A woman is suing Southend Hospital after doctors failed to recognise a serious fracture in her elbow. 60-year-old Shirley Johnstone was rushed to A&E after waking up in extreme pain, and despite taking x-rays, doctors sent her home with pain killers claiming that the injury was only a sprain. Six days later, when doctors reviewed her x-ray, a serious fracture was discovered in her elbow.   It was heard that in this six-day window, Mrs Johnstone’s fracture displaced by four millimetres. As a result, she required immediate surgery and had…

Woman sues NHS for father's head injury in dementia care

Posted: 28 May 2015

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

The daughter of a man who was left with a serious head injury whilst in care has sued the NHS. 76-year-old Ivor Betteridge was being treated for severe dementia in a mental health centre when a male health care assistant used physical restraint against him, causing him to suffer a serious head injury. 43-year-old Tracy Betteridge won over £3,600 in compensation from the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. It was heard from one nurse that the agency health care assistant, who has since been suspended, pushed Mr Betteridge, while another…

Southern England care homes inadequacy amounting to “institutional neglect”

Posted: 2 May 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Following a series of unannounced inspections of 65 adult social care services in the south of England by the Care Quality Commission, more than 50% were rated as inadequate or requiring improvement. Only 27 out of the 65 services were awarded the rating of “good” by the CQC. The watchdog inspected agencies and care homes caring for patients from young adults with conditions such as Asperger’s Syndrome to elderly people with mental illnesses such as dementia. At one care home in Devon, inspectors described the situation as amounting to “institutional neglect”. There…

Cathedral suing the NHS after worshipper claims for foot injury

Posted: 1 April 2015

Posted in: Foot Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Public Place Accidents

A cathedral in North Yorkshire is currently suing the NHS after it was forced to payout to a worshipper who was not immediately treated after injuring himself during a service. Christopher Shepherd attended the surface at the Ripon Cathedral in North Yorkshire two days before Christmas in 2009, when he tripped and fractured his foot. The severity of the injury left Mr Shepherd unable to walk and requiring the use of a wheelchair. Lawyers argue that negligent medical treatment is to blame for the development of Mr Shepherd’s injuries. They…

Care unit opens to reduce A&E pressures

Posted: 1 April 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Following the recent closure of a hospital unit in North Yorkshire, a new 24-hour urgent care centre has been opened to ease pressures. The service, which will cover Scarborough and Ryedale, is for patients who require immediate attention, but do not have life-threatening injuries or illnesses. One centre has been incorporated into Scarborough Hospital’s A&E department, and another at Malton Hospital. The new service has been launched to ease the pressure on Scarborough’s A&E department. Earlier this year, Scarborough A&E declared that they were struggling to cope with the influx…

Patient cardiac arrest after waiting over an hour in hospital corridor

Posted: 19 March 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A patient suffered a cardiac arrest after waiting over an hour and a half in a hospital corridor. The hospital was experiencing a time of “extreme pressure” and patients waiting to be seen were asked to wait in the corridors. The patient, who remains anonymous, had been waiting to be seen in the accident and emergency department at Hereford County Hospital when he/she suffered the cardiac arrest. A spokesperson from the Wye Valley NHS Trust said that the hospital was struggling to cope with the pressure of incoming patients as…

Hospital errors caused stillbirth

Posted: 19 February 2015

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

Medical experts have ruled that a baby girl delivered stillborn could have been born healthy if there had been no medical errors. The mother was repeatedly turned away from Hull Royal Infirmary during her pregnancy in 2011 and was categorised as a ‘low risk’ pregnancy, despite having suffered a haemorrhage only days before her due date. The baby was delivered stillborn. The hospital apologised for the failings and awarded her £25,000 in compensation. Medical experts carried out an investigation surrounding the stillbirth and found that the baby could have been…

Hospital death rate ‘higher than expected’

Posted: 2 February 2015

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

Recently released figures have revealed a ‘higher than expected’ death rate at a Teeside hospital trust. The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is one of the nine hospital trusts identified as having a higher than predicted mortality rate in the last year. The trust’s medical director, Dr David Emerton, said that it was “reviewing the care of all patients who die” following the recent figures. Where the figures take into account both deaths in hospital and deaths within 30 days of discharge, Dr Emerton said that the number…

Hospital disagrees with “inadequate” rating

Posted: 1 February 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A hospital has described its recent inspection rating as “unfair”. A healthcare watchdog labeled Colchester Hospital’s medical care and accident and emergency care as “inadequate” following recent inspections. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that problems at the hospital included low staffing levels, low staff morale, and little respect given to dying patients.  Inspectors noted that one patient was transferred from resuscitation to an assessment unit without recommended further treatment. As a result of these highlighted failings, inspectors labeled the hospital’s care standards as “inadequate”. The CQC said that the inspections followed…

GP practices under ‘special measures’

Posted: 25 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Three GP practices have been placed under ‘special measures’ after the Care Quality Commission discovered “significant areas of concern”. The practices, which are in Liverpool, Greater Manchester, and Reading, could all face closure if they do not improve over the next six months. NHS England is working with the individual practices to help them improve and avoid closure. The inspections were carried out as part of a new regime and identified five practices as ‘inadequate’ and ten as ‘requiring improvement’. Three surgeries were awarded with an ‘outstanding’ rating, and fifty-seven…

A&E departments across the UK in ‘mayhem’

Posted: 20 January 2015

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Over the last few weeks, many hospitals across the country have stressed that they are struggling to cope with the added pressures caused by the recent influx of patients. This, combined with staffing problems and a lack of beds, is resulting in ‘mayhem’ across many of the country’s accident and emergency departments. One particularly affected hospital, Scarborough Hospital, said that even though extra emergency staff had been employed, they are still facing “mayhem” on a daily basis. An investigation at the hospital found that on one day, a total of 114 people…

Stroke patient ‘left to lie in own urine’

Posted: 30 December 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

An inquiry is due to be held at a hospital after allegations were made that a stroke patient was left to lie in her own urine on Christmas Day. According to the patient’s son, David Keirl, his 84-year-old mother was left in her own urine in a “freezing cold room” for more than ten hours at Musgrove Park Hospital in Somerset. Peter Lewis, the hospital’s deputy chief executive, said that the allegations were “extremely serious” and that they had to be thoroughly investigated. Mr Keirl said that his mother was…

British family offered $3m following hospital death

Posted: 17 December 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The family of a British woman that was found dead after she went missing from an American hospital in 2013 has been offered $3m (£1.9m) in compensation. 57-year-old Lynne Spalding, from County Durham, disappeared from San Francisco General Hospital on 21 September 2013. 17 days later she was found dead in a stairwell. The search was criticised for being extremely flawed. Ms Spalding’s twin brother Bill refused the money, saying that “blood money” would not help their grieving. He said that there are still numerous unanswered questions surrounding his sister’s death; adding:…

Girl’s parents suing over hospital surgery death

Posted: 4 December 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

The parents of 18-year-old Rachel Bradshaw, who died in February 2009 after a surgeon “incompletely” drilled into her brain, are suing the two hospital trusts for £500,000. The accident happened just before Ms Bradshaw’s nineteenth birthday at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The teenager had suffered liver failure after taking a paracetamol overdose, and was taken immediately to Northampton General Hospital. Her family said that staff did not respond quickly enough. The overdose led to her needing a liver transplant, so she was directly transferred to Birmingham. The fatal accident occurred at…

Seven deaths while mental health patients await beds

Posted: 30 November 2014

Posted in: Criminal Injury and Assault, Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

There have been seven deaths since 2012 because hospitals do not have enough beds for mental health patients. This has come as the result of mental health beds being cut across England, with figures showing that around 2,100 have been cut since 2011. In one case, found in coroner’s reports and NHS trust papers, a man suffering with mental illness was denied a bed and later killed his mother. A recent investigation established that since 2012 seven people have taken their own lives after being told there was no hospital…

Lack of GP funding putting patients at risk

Posted: 2 November 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recent study found that the Scottish government is failing to fund GP practices, consequently putting patients at great risk. The study carried out by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) said that the serious underfunding has “dangerous consequences for patients”. It found that one in four Scots are currently unable to secure an appointment with their GP within one week. It was highlighted in the report that this problem will only continue to worsen. It was found that the Draft Budget for next year showed a real-terms funding…

Report reveals NHS is failing vulnerable patients

Posted: 29 October 2014

Posted in: Leg Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims

An NHS Ombudsman report has revealed how vulnerable patients are being failed by the health service. The report referenced three cases where patients had received terribly inadequate care and treatment. The report described the findings as ‘devastating and shocking’.  One example was of a baby who suffered severe brain damage following serious medical mistakes. The baby had developed jaundice a day after it had been born at a London hospital, and required immediate medical treatment involving a blood transfusion. The doctors and nurses involved in the treatment procedure took more blood from…

Pelvic fracture woman waits six hours for an ambulance

Posted: 30 September 2014

Posted in: Hip Injuries, Medical Negligence

A 90-year-old woman was forced to wait over six hours for an ambulance to arrive after fracturing her pelvis this month. Barbara Hedley fell in her Norfolk-home, in Beeston Regis, at the beginning of the month, but was given ‘low-priority’ by emergency staff as she was still breathing and conscious. The ambulance service has since apologised to Mrs Hedley. The accident happened around four weeks ago, and despite being in a great amount of pain, Mrs Hedley was able to telephone an ambulance. A paramedic arrived two hours after she made…

Ambulance service improvements recognised

Posted: 29 August 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A non-emergency ambulance service in Dorset has been applauded for its massive improvements after previously being described as “abysmal”. The service was repeatedly criticised for picking up patients too late, and in some cases, failing to pick them up at all. However, a recent report has made some promising findings. In February the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said that the non-emergency ambulance service was failing to meet quality standards in many areas. These included management, staffing and handling complaints. A new CQC report, however, said that improvements have definitely been made. The…

Minor injuries unit to close at nights after being found unsafe

Posted: 27 August 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries, Medical Negligence

A Community Hospital’s minor injuries unit is due to close overnight after reports found it to be unsafe and underused. Ilkeston Community Hospital is to be closed between 22:00 and 08:00, after audits showed that the hospital was not safe enough to treat children overnight.   The nurse-led hospital deals with non-life threatening injuries, such as breakages, sprains, minor burns, infections and minor eye or head injuries. However, after recent reports by the Erewash Clinical Commissioning Group and other organisations, the decision was made to close the hospital overnight because…

Ambulance service fined £2.6m for missing targets

Posted: 15 May 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence

West Midlands Ambulance Service has been fined £2.6million after failing to reach one of its primary targets for responding to life-threatening calls. The target requires the ambulance service to attend 75% of emergencies within eight minutes, which West Midlands Ambulance Service failed to meet in 2013/14. As a result, a fine was imposed by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which controls NHS budgets. A spokesperson from the West Midlands Ambulance Service said that this was the first time they had failed to meet standards, and that the failing in 2013/14…

Mid Staffordshire NHS trust fined after death of diabetic patient

Posted: 29 April 2014

Posted in: Arm Injury, Hip Injuries, Medical Negligence, NHS Claims, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust has admitted to health and safety failings that caused the death of a diabetic patient. The trust has been fined £200,000 for failing to provide 66-year-old Gillian Astbury with her insulin, resulting in her death in April 2007. A judge at Stafford Crown Court said that Mrs Astbury’s death could easily have been prevented had she received the correct care. In 2010 an inquest found that there had been a failure to provide basic care to Mrs Astbury when she was admitted to the hospital for fractures…

Hospital surgery deaths investigated by police

Posted: 24 February 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A police investigation has been launched in Worcestershire following the deaths of numerous patients under the care of a consultant surgeon. Sudip Sarker worked as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust having already been suspended from the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch in October 2012, after being employed in August 2011. The investigation was launched after West Mercia Police received a letter in December, highlighting the deaths of three patients that were all under the care of Sudip Sarker. The trust said that that at the time of…

NHS Short of 2,300 midwives

Posted: 1 February 2014

Posted in: Birth Injury, Medical Negligence

A recent report into maternity care has uncovered that a lack of NHS funding is putting mothers and babies at serious risk. The most concerning finding was that the NHS is currently short of 2,300 midwives for the UK’s current birth rates. The report has sparked great criticism from the Commons public accounts committee, arguing that the Department of Health and NHS England should be in control of “something as fundamental” as ensuring that there are enough midwives. The report did not only highlight the extreme shortage of midwives, but it…

Ex-staffordshire nurse struck off after numerous complaints

Posted: 30 January 2014

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Following the Stafford Hospital scandal in 2009, the director of nursing has agreed to be removed from the register.  Janice Harry, the most senior nurse of the hospital, had been given a five-year caution after other members of staff made multiple allegations against her. Recently retired, Janice Harry has come to an agreement with the nursing watchdog NMC to have her name removed from the nursing register. By removing herself, Ms Harry will no longer be permitted to work as a nurse in the UK. The Stafford Hospital scandal first came to…

999 delay caused patient death

Posted: 31 December 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

After cancer patient Ben Horne was found collapsed in a hotel room on Boxing Day, his friends believed that he would have survived if paramedics had arrived sooner. Sandi Logan and Richard Hunt phoned for an ambulance on Thursday after discovering their friend collapsed in a hotel room in Southsea – they waited for almost half an hour for paramedics to arrive, by which point Mr Horne was dead. South Central Ambulance had initially categorised the phone call as ‘amber’, meaning that the accident was not life threatening and had a…

Hospital overdose murder probe

Posted: 15 December 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

A Norfolk NHS Hospital health worker will face no further action after being arrested on suspicion of murder through medical malpractice earlier in the year. 76-year-old James May died of heart failure at the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, after which a member of staff was arrested in October as part of a medical negligence investigation. This was a response to the concerns of a hospital informer, claiming that Mr May had been murdered by a deliberate drug overdose. The case was eventually referred to the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team…

Ex-Stafford chief nurse caution “too lenient”

Posted: 1 December 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A health regulator has made an appeal to alter the discipline of Stafford Hospital’s former chief nurse after the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) made a far too “lenient” decision. Following the Stafford Hospital scandal, the NMC agreed that ex-chief nurse Janice Harry was still fit to practice but gave her a five-year caution order. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA), however, have called for the caution to be challenged at the High Court with the belief that the NMC were “unduly lenient”. Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and its predecessor Mid Staffordshire…

Hospital apologises for fatal drug administration

Posted: 26 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has apologised for the death of Colin Whalley after health workers at Whiston Hospital in Prescot gave him a fatal dose of medication through a drip two years ago. Initially taken into the hospital for breathing problems, Mr Whalley was administered a large dose of aminophylline, which was pumped into his body in 20 minutes (instead of the intended 24 hours), which resulted in his death. Despite the hospital’s apology to the family of Mr Whalley, his wife Norma was horrified that she had…

Nurse guilty of misconduct for putting hospital patients at risk

Posted: 9 November 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Having worked at Stafford Hospital from 1998-2006, former chief nurse Janice Harry has been cautioned for leaving patients at risk by not staffing the wards properly. During her eight years at the hospital, it was found that inadequate nursing was provided to the A&E department and two other wards. Having been found guilty of this misconduct, Mrs Harry has still not admitted to charges concerning the bullying of colleagues. When the case was presented to a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel, they deemed her fit to practice but provided her with…

Hospital death due to missed penicillin allergy warnings

Posted: 31 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

65-year-old Susan Hammond died in hospital after staff failed to recognise her allergic reaction to prescribed medication. Mrs Hammond had originally been admitted to hospital with a severe chest infection, but then suffered a severe allergic reaction to the penicillin they subscribed her, despite two previous allergic reactions to the drug, which resulted in her death. Mrs Hammond, from North Clifton, died at Lincoln County Hospital in July 2009 after medical staff failed to recognise seven warnings concerning her allergy. The children of Mrs Hammond continue to fight for justice, arguing…

Basildon hospital finally covers nurse shortages

Posted: 21 October 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A total of £3m has been spent by Basildon hospital over the last two years in an attempt to fill the major nursing gaps that were causing it to struggle with providing high quality care. In July, Basildon hospital was placed under ‘special measures’ following the Keogh review, which uncovered the hospital’s worryingly high death rates, alongside many other hospitals. The review put these worrying figures down to the fact that the hospital was severely understaffed, which is now undergoing a ‘turnaround plan’. The Essex-based hospital has recruited an extra…

Cardiologist’s work restricted due to poor practice concerns

Posted: 30 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A cardiologist working in Cornwall – yet to be named – has had their work restricted after routine screening identified “potential” concerns in their clinical practice. The Royal Cornwall Hospital’s Trust (RCHT) has chosen not to name the consultant cardiologist involved, but has written to patients who may have been affected by their poor practice. Director of Medicine, Andy Virr, said that the concerns were raised after routine checks were carried out in the hospital. Furthering this, he said: “As a precaution we have restricted the clinical practice of the cardiologist while…

Private NHS hospital bought over following three surgery deaths

Posted: 16 September 2013

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

Clinic bosses have confirmed that after three patients died at Lister Hospital’s Surgicentre following routine surgery, the NHS has taken it under tight control. The privately-run NHS hospital in Stevenage provided routine surgery in areas such as throat, ear and nose, trauma, gynaecology, orthopaedics, and ophthalmology for referred NHS patients. It was failed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last year in four out of five areas. By August GPs were told not to refer patients to the eye department at all due to the centre’s ridiculous waiting times.  Three patients…

NHS 111 health line launched in Devon after county-wide criticism

Posted: 7 September 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

After being delayed since the 1st of April, an NHS non-emergency 111-telephone number has been launched in Devon. While 999 remains as the UK’s primary emergency number, 111 has been introduced to replace NHS Direct, providing free advice to people with urgent, but not life-threatening, symptoms.  The NHS 111 helpline has been continuously criticised since its introduction in April for providing poor advice and leaving many calls unanswered. The national initiative has created serious problems throughout the UK with the failure of home computer systems, calls going unanswered and inappropriate referrals…

Hospital prosecuted over patient death

Posted: 30 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence, Wrongful & Accidental Death

Gillian Astbury (66), died in April 2007 after entering a diabetic coma at Stafford Hospital. The Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust is to be prosecuted after two of their nurses failed to provide the much-needed insulin to Mrs. Astbury. Chief executive of the trust, Maggie Oldham, apologised for the “appalling care” that Mrs. Astbury had received prior to her death on the 11th of April 2007. Hospital Nurses Ann King and Jeannette Coulson have both been found guilty of medical misconduct by A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel. The hospital will also be prosecuted…

Hospital fails to meet all five key standards

Posted: 22 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Norfolk has raised “real concern” after a recent inspection report, said The Care Quality Commission (CQC).  CQC inspectors visited the hospital during three days in May, which revealed a failure to meet all five key standards of operation in health care. The hospital’s failure to meet three of these standards was having a major impact on patients. One of the failed standards highlighted a major staffing issue within the hospital, playing a major part in the running of the hospital as a whole. The Care Quality Commission…

Health research receives £18m boost

Posted: 17 August 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

£18m has been awarded to health researchers in Oxford and the Thames Valley in an attempt to improve the services used most by the NHS. The money has been awarded to allow the health researchers to investigate how best to deliver services to people with the greatest need, with areas such as ‘care for elderly patients’ and chronic pain sufferers requiring great improvements. The research will ensure that the area’s patients have access to many new innovative treatments and techniques in the near future. This research has been partially funded by the…

Hip Replacement Clinical Negligence

Posted in: Medical Negligence

If you have had a hip replacement and have suffered injury as a result it is important that you speak to a legal qualified specialist as soon as possible. It may be that the hip replacement you have been fitted with is faulty, or has caused tissue damage, or perhaps has failed completely. If you are in this situation, then you may be able to claim compensation relating to clinical negligence, and the Wakefield personal injury solicitors will be able to examine your claim and guide you on the best…

Fungal infection in Queen’s Medical Centre

Posted: 25 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A father has criticised a Nottingham hospital ward’s monitoring standards following the discovery of a fungal infection in the ward’s ventilation system. Jon Parry’s five-year-old son, Eddy Parry, and eight other children had to be moved from the Queen’s Medical Centre after the fungal infection was detected. Jon Parry argues that more should be done in hospitals to ensure that fungal infections cannot develop. The five-year-old from Smalley was diagnosed with bone cancer in August of last year and has been receiving treatment on ward E39 at the Queen’s Medical Centre…

Nurses in Staffordshire wrongly recorded waiting times

Posted: 23 July 2013

Posted in: Medical Negligence

A recent investigation has found that between 2000 and 2010 two Mid Staffordshire nurses have frequently recorded inaccurate waiting times in order to keep within the national 4-hour waiting target. Sharon Turner and Tracey-Ann White attempted to avoid breaches of the target by inaccurately recording patient waiting times on frequent occasions. This has resulted in an almost unprecedented hearing into nurses from Stafford by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel. The regulator’s hearing was adjourned until today (Tuesday 23 July). While the panel will assess their fitness to practice, both Ms. Turner…

Medical Negligence Injuries

Posted in: Medical Negligence

Medical professionals owe their patients a duty of care to ensure that they are safe whilst under the medical professional’s care. This duty extends to all forms of medical professionals from your local GP to surgeons and dentists. As the consequences of medical negligence (also known as clinical negligence) can be quite severe, both physically and psychologically, the amount of compensation that will be awarded to patient that has suffered as a result of medical negligence could be quite substantial. Consider the scenario of a patient undergoing surgery on his…