August 27th, 2009
An NHS trust has awarded compensation to a family whose baby died after its mother was sent to a hospital 12 miles away from the one she had been advised to use.
Andrea Harrison, 35, contacted her midwife in May 2004 and was told that the baby’s heartbeat was too high, the Northern Echo reports.
She was sent to Bishop Auckland Hospital, but upon arrival, found out that it did not have emergency facilities to deal with Caesarean sections.
The patient was redirected to Darlington Memorial Hospital in the family car since no ambulance was available, but once baby Olivia was delivered there, she had died.
Ms Harrison took legal action against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, claiming that she should never have been sent to the first hospital and that staff had been negligent in their treatment.
The trust has now admitted liability and agreed to an undisclosed sum in compensation.
Birth injuries and problems with delivery often point to failures in properly assessing the condition of the mother. Anyone who suffers as a result of such clinical negligence may be able to make a compensation claim and should contact a solicitor.
Tags: Ambulance, Andrea Harrison, Baby Heartbeat, Baby S Heartbeat, Birth Injuries, Bishop Auckland Hospital, Caesarean Sections, Clinical Negligence, Compensation Claim, County Durham, Darlington Memorial Hospital, Emergency Facilities, Foundation Trust, Midwife, Nhs Trust, Northern Echo, Olivia, Solicitor, Trust Awards, Undisclosed Sum
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
March 3rd, 2009
A woman who had worked as a nurse for 20 years but was forced to retire after sustaining an injury at work has been told she will receive £45,000 from the NHS trust responsible for the hospital where she was employed.
Jacqueline Crowe, 46, worked at South Moor Hospital, in Stanley, County Durham, north-east newspaper the Chronicle attests.
She was making beds one day when one of the brakes failed to release. She pulled the bed towards her, but jarred her neck and back badly.
Ms Crowe claimed that she suffers from depression as a result of her injuries and sought legal action against Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.
In a new development, it has been ruled that the bed brake was faulty and that the trust should have repaired it.
As a result, Ms Crowe will now receive £45,000 in compensation for the pain and suffering she has been caused.
According to figures from the Health and Safety Executive, sickness absence costs the NHS £1 billion a year.
Tags: 1 Billion, Acute Hospitals Nhs Trust, Beds, Brakes, County Durham, Darlington, Depression, Health And Safety, Health And Safety Executive, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Jacqueline, Nurse, Pain And Suffering, Sickness Absence, South Moor, Stanley County, Woman
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February 3rd, 2009
A woman is taking legal action against the NHS trust she claims is responsible for the death of her baby.
Louise Davies, 28, was listed as a relatively high-risk patient when she fell pregnant for the second time, after suffering some problems with her first child, the Sunday Sun attests.
However, when she began to unexpectedly lose water and suffer from abdominal pains, she claims that staff at Darlington Memorial Hospital told her to go home and take a bath before returning two days later.
When she returned, Ms Davies alleges that staff were unprepared for her and did not perform a scan.
It was only when a doctor later looked for a heartbeat that none could be found and Ms Davies was told the baby had died.
She said she will now seek legal action against the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust – which provides secondary care district general hospital services to a population of around 500,000 in County Durham and Darlington – in order to ensure that the situation does not happen to anyone else.
"Nothing could bring Callum back, but it was an incredibly traumatic experience and one that I am still struggling to come to terms with," Ms Davies commented.
Tags: Abdominal Pains, Callum, County Durham, Darlington Memorial Hospital, District General Hospital, Foundation Trust, Heartbeat, High Risk, Ms Davies, Nhs Trust, Population, Risk Patient, Second Time, Sunday Sun, Traumatic Experience, Woman
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
July 28th, 2008
A company in County Durham has banned its employees from using mobile phones while they are at the wheel.
Workers at the 3M manufacturing plant in Newton Aycliffe have been told they cannot use mobiles, or even hands-free devices, while using their cars for business.
The company has been running a child safety road campaign since 2005, which has involved the distribution of 95,000 high visibility vests to young people in a bid to reduce the number of accidents on roads in the area.
Doug Mitchell, 3M’s managing director, said there is compelling evidence that using mobiles while driving impairs a motorist’s performance.
Katie Shephard, fundraising manager for the road safety charity Brake, agreed: "Research has shown that it is the phone conversation that distracts and kills, regardless of whether a hands-free kit is used or not."
She added: "We hope other companies will follow 3M’s lead and introduce this ban as part of their health and safety policy."
Tags: 3m, Accidents, Charity, Child Safety, Compelling Evidence, County Durham, Doug Mitchell, Hands Free Kit, Health And Safety, High Visibility, Managing Director, Manufacturing Plant, Mobile Phone Use, Mobile Phones, Newton Aycliffe, Phone Conversation, Road Safety, Safety Policy, Visibility Vests, Wheel
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
