March 17th, 2009
A woman who alleges that she almost died after a surgical swab was left inside her is claiming thousands of pounds in compensation from the NHS trust she holds responsible.
Angela Watson went into hospital in Surrey to give birth to her daughter in March 2006 and was given a surgical cut known as an episiotomy to assist her, the Metro reports.
However, her condition began to deteriorate shortly afterwards and she developed tissue poisoning, following which her major organs shut down.
Ms Watson claims that the swab which had been left inside her was not discovered for two days and that she needed 28 operations to repair the damage caused.
She is now unable to have children and is suing Kingston Hospital NHS Trust for £300,000 in damages, as well as yearly payments to cover her disabilities.
The trust said it is investigating the claims.
There are grounds for a medical negligence claim when it can be shown that a practitioner has not exercised what is considered to be the normal standard of care and skill in their job.
Tags: Damages, Disabilities, Episiotomy, Hospital Nhs Trust, Job, Kingston Hospital Nhs Trust, Medical Negligence Claim, Metro, Organs, Surrey, Swab, Watson, Woman
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June 20th, 2008
Many hospital patients in the UK are having their human rights violated while under anaesthetic, it has been claimed.
Writing in the Student British Medical Journal, medical ethics specialist Dr Gershon Grunfeld said that medical students are intimately examining unconscious patients without their approval.
"Performing intimate examinations on patients without their explicit consent is a gross violation of the principle of respect for patients’ autonomy," he said.
Current guidelines state that patients must give their permission before being examined in such a way, reports the Metro.
Dr Grunfeld found that the guidelines are often ignored, or are not fully understood, by medical staff and called for hospitals to establish procedures whereby patients can volunteer to help with teaching.
He also commented: "Medical students must put their responsibility towards patients before any learning opportunity."
Last year, it was also reported that the human rights of elderly patients were not being adequately protected in many hospitals and care homes.
Tags: Anaesthetic, Autonomy, British Medical Journal, Elderly Patients, Explicit Consent, Gershon, Gross Violation, Grunfeld, Hospital Patients, Hospitals, Human Rights, Journal Medical, Medical Ethics, Medical Staff, Medical Students, Metro, Principle, Student British Medical Journal, Unconscious Patients, Volunteer
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