September 22nd, 2009
As many as one in six NHS patients is becoming the victim of a misdiagnosis, new research has warned.
A study from Imperial College London found that 15 per cent of people were being diagnosed with the wrong illness because doctors were too quick to assess patients, or were unwilling to seek second opinions when unsure.
Profesor Graham Neale, spokesperson for the institution, said that although the majority of errors were rectified within two days, thousands of people could still be at risk.
Peter Walsh, the chief executive of Action Against Medical Accidents, agreed, commenting: "We would like to see it become a legal requirement for all missed diagnoses to be reported."
Earlier this week, the Manchester Evening News reported that a man had died after being sent home from hospital three times, despite the fact that he had been suffering from a swollen blood vessel in his brain which later ruptured.
Tags: Blood Vessel, Brain, Chief Executive, Doctors, Imperial College London, Manchester Evening News, Medical Accidents, Missed Diagnoses, News Reported That, Nhs Patients, Peter Walsh, Risk, Spokesperson, Three Times
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
August 27th, 2009
A new report has discovered that as many as one in five young people is driving without the correct level of insurance.
The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) found that 250,000 people aged between 17 and 20 are taking to the roads without cover, putting insured drivers at risk if they are hit.
Many young people claimed they did not know that insurance is a legal requirement, while others said that the high cost of insurance has led to them breaking the law.
Ashton West, chief executive of the MIB, commented: "While we recognise the financial pressures for drivers taking to the roads for the first time, it is also a criminal offence to drive without proper insurance cover."
The MIB was established to deal with cases stemming from uninsured driver accidents and manages over 30,000 claims from people who have been hit by someone without cover every year.
Anyone involved in such an accident may wish to seek legal advice, as motoring claims can be complicated and lengthy.
Tags: 000 People, Accidents, Ashton, Breaking The Law, Chief Executive, Criminal Offence, Driving Without Insurance, Financial Pressures, Insurance, Insurance Cover, Led, Legal Advice, Mib, Motor Insurers Bureau, Motorists, Proper Insurance, Risk, Uninsured Driver, Young People
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
April 3rd, 2009
A family is seeking the advice of clinical negligence solicitors after a grandfather became the 14th person to die from a superbug at a British hospital.
John Saunders, 66, was admitted to Eastbourne District General Hospital to have a blood clot removed, the Mirror reports.
His official cause of death was pneumonia, but the superbug Clostrodium difficile (C difficile) was listed as a significant contributing factor.
Jane Stanfield, Mr Saunders’ daughter, said the family is shocked and angry, particularly after hospital chief executive Kim Hodgson declared wards safe.
"I went in to see him just hours before he died and he was struggling to breathe and really uncomfortable. A lot more could have been done for him," she commented.
A spokesperson for the hospital said it would investigate if the family wishes to contact its staff.
It was reported last month that 62 cases of the bacteria have been noted at Eastbourne District General Hospital since January and a total of 14 people have now died there as a result.
Tags: Bacteria, Blood Clot, Cause Of Death, Chief Executive, Clinical Negligence Solicitors, Compensation Claim, Contact, District General Hospital, Eastbourne District General Hospital, Hodgson, John Saunders, Mirror, Mr Saunders, Pneumonia, Spokesperson, Stanfield, Superbug, Wards
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
April 1st, 2009
A young mother who was suffering from cervical cancer but who was not correctly diagnosed by medics is to receive compensation for her ordeal.
Cheryl Field, 33, had a smear test in 2001 which proved negative, but by January 2003, she began to suffer pain and bleeding.
Although she was given a referral to a gynaecologist by Dr Shamsh Suleman at Withymoor Village Surgery, it was a non-urgent appointment and it was not until five months later that a tumour was discovered.
"I told my doctor … that I was worried about cancer but he laughed this off and told me not to be silly," said Ms Field.
The tumour was too large to be removed and Ms Field had to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which has left her with permanent damage and unable to work.
Dudley Primary Care Trust has now agreed to pay the victim an undisclosed but "substantial" sum of compensation.
Chief executive of the organisation Mark Cooke said: "We accept that the standard of care which Mrs Field received fell below that which she was entitled to expect."
The reports follow news from last month that a Manchester woman had received compensation from Wythenshawe Hospital after her cervical cancer was also misdiagnosed and she almost died.
Tags: Blunders, Cervical Cancer, Chemotherapy, Chief Executive, Dudley, Five Months, Gynaecologist, Mark Cooke, Medics, Mrs Field, Ms Field, Ordeal, Permanent Damage, Primary Care Trust, Radiotherapy, Smear Test, Substantial Compensation, Suleman, Tumour, Young Mother
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2009
A couple from Birmingham have received a five-figure compensation settlement after a series of mistakes at a hospital led to the death of their newborn baby.
Nadia Jones went to hospital after her waters broke in September 2004, but she was sent home. Despite repeated visits to Worcestershire Royal Hospital, staff continued to tell her the baby was not ready to be delivered.
After Mrs Jones went in for the fourth time, medics realised an emergency caesarean was needed.
The baby was born in a poor condition and hospital staff informed Mrs Jones and her husband Steve that he had died when he was actually still in intensive care.
Mr Jones eventually discovered his son was still alive and visited him in the baby unit before he died seven hours later.
This week, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS has paid out an undisclosed five-figure settlement to the couple after an earlier admission of liability.
John Rostill, chief executive of the trust, said: "We are continuing to work very hard to ensure that the quality of our healthcare services improves and that nothing similar happens again."
Anyone who has suffered as a result of poor care in environments such as hospitals or health centres should seek legal advice as they may be eligible for compensation for clinical negligence.
Tags: Admission, Baby Born, Baby Unit, Chief Executive, Clinical Negligence, Environments, Health Centres, Healthcare Services, Hospital Staff, Intensive Care, Led, Legal Advice, Medics, Mrs Jones, Nadia, Newborn Baby, Seven Hours, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
