October 20th, 2009
A care home in Flintshire has been ordered to pay compensation to a woman who fractured her hip after falling from a care home bed.
Ellen Clewarth, 92, became entangled in her bed railings at Aston Hall Care Home in February and sustained a fractured hip after falling to the floor.
An investigation by health and safety officers found that the resident had a history of trying to get out of bed and that these railings should not have been used.
It was also found that staff had no training in using the railings to keep residents safe.
Aston Hall Care Home was ordered to pay a fine of £6,000 as well as £4,200 in compensation to Ms Clewarth. She had to undergo surgery but has now recovered and is in another care home.
Residential homes must adhere to the same safety regulations as other medical organisations such as hospitals. Where this is not the case, victims may be eligible to seek compensation for clinical negligence and should seek the advice of a solicitor.
Tags: Care Homes, Clinical Negligence, Ellen, Fractured Hip, Health And Safety, Hospitals, Medical Organisations, Railings, Residential Homes, Safety Officers, Safety Regulations, Solicitor, Woman
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September 25th, 2009
New research has suggested that there may be an increase in deaths in hospitals when newly qualified doctors begin practicing on wards each August.
Imperial College London analysed data going back nine years and found that there was a six per cent increase in mortality in the first week of August when compared with the last week in July.
Heart attacks and strokes were found to be the conditions most likely to rise.
Dr Paul Aylin, who managed the research, said the figures suggest that the reshuffling caused by new doctors coming in could be leading to lapses in care.
However, Patricia Hamilton, director of medical education at the Department of Health, denied that this is a factor behind the increase and pointed out that junior doctors are closely monitored, often on a one to one ratio.
This comes after research from the same college earlier this month suggested that 15 per cent of all NHS patients are being misdiagnosed.
Tags: Aylin, Changeover, Deaths, Department Of Health, Dr Paul, Heart Attacks, Hospitals, Imperial College London, Junior Doctors, Lapses, Medical Education, Mortality, Nhs Patients, Nine Years, Patricia Hamilton, Qualified Doctors, Strokes, Wards
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August 11th, 2009
An offshore oil worker is seeking compensation from NHS Grampian, claiming that a ‘botched’ operation on his knee ruined his life.
Davie Jamieson, 54, went into Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen to have an artificial joint fitted into his knee in February 2008, the Press and Journal reports.
However, doctors wrongly fitted the joint to the outer side of his left knee, when he should have been given a full knee replacement.
Mr Jamieson claims this has left him crippled and depressed. He is unable to sit down for long periods and has difficulty sleeping.
The victim claims that the operation was a disaster due to human error and that it would have been fine if he had the correct procedure in the first place. He is seeking a payout from the NHS for the pain and suffering he was caused.
"I feel very angry about what happened to me because doctors ignored me when I told them the pain was coming from the inner side of my knee," he commented.
Earlier this month, the same publication reported that surgical teams at north and north-east hospitals made 1,200 clinical errors between 2004 and 2008.
Tags: Aberdeen, Disaster, Doctors, Grampian, Hospitals, Human Error, Jamieson, Knee Replacement, Left Knee, Long Periods, Nhs, Offshore Oil, Oil Worker, Pain And Suffering, Worker Compensation
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July 20th, 2009
A man who was exposed to asbestos during his time as a hospital plumber is to receive £175,000 in compensation.
Alan Ward, 61, developed cancer of the lung lining recently and now may only have months to live.
He took legal action against the unnamed hospitals in Wakefield, where he worked between 1964 and 1972.
Mr Ward claimed that his employers had never explained the dangers of asbestos and had allowed their workers to remove panels of it without masks.
This week, he has been awarded compensation to assist him with his everyday needs in the coming months.
"I am pleased to have received compensation, as it will help cover the cost of living when my health fails further," he commented to the Telegraph.
Exposure to asbestos has been recognised as a health hazard since the early 1900s, although many workers were exposed to the substance decades after this.
If a person can prove they were exposed to asbestos as a result of negligence as Mr Ward did, they may be able to make a claim for compensation as a result.
Tags: Alan Ward, Asbestos, Cancer Of The Lung, Decades, Early 1900s, Exposed, Health Hazard, Hospitals, Masks, Mr Ward, Negligence, Plumber, Telegraph, Wakefield
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March 6th, 2009
A man who lost the use of his arm after being admitted to hospital following a suicide attempt has received damages from the NHS trust he held responsible.
Michael Dexter, 58, took an overdose in December 2002 and was taken to Blackburn Royal Hospital after being found by his family.
However, a medic gave him at least one 200ml dose of 8.4 per cent sodium bicarbonate to stop the effects of his overdose, the Manchester Evening News reports.
A normal dose would have been 50ml. Mr Dexter took legal action against East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust after he lost the use of his left arm as a result.
"I know they saved my life but if you went in with a heart attack you wouldn’t expect to leave with a limb you can’t use," he commented.
The trust has now agreed to a settlement with Mr Dexter, which his solicitor said was proportionate to his right to be treated appropriately.
Clinical negligence occurs when a professional in the health service provides care that is deemed to be below standard and this causes physical injury, death or distress.
Negligence may occur from delay or failure to diagnose a condition, delay or failure to treat a condition, when a treatment goes wrong, use of the wrong treatment, or failure to obtain consent.
Tags: Clinical Negligence, Damages, Dexter, East Lancashire, Failure, Health Service, Heart Attack, Hospitals, Injury Death, Left Arm, Lost, Manchester Evening News, Medic, Nhs Trust, Sodium Bicarbonate, Solicitor, Suicide Attempt
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