October 29th, 2009
A girl who went blind after doctors failed to spot a brain tumour has been awarded £1.5 million in compensation.
Tatum Rock, now 16, went into King George Hospital in Essex after banging her head in a fall in 1999.
She had X-rays, but was sent home when the radiologist missed a large brain tumour. Although the condition came to light four months later and she had corrective surgery, it was too late to save her sight.
An investigation revealed that had the X-ray been read properly, the victim would have had surgery immediately and her sight would most likely have been saved.
Tatum took legal action against Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, which has now admitted liability for the misdiagnosis and agreed to the payout.
Hospital bosses apologised for the failings and wished Tatum well for her future at university.
Research from Imperial College London recently revealed that as many as one in six NHS patients are being misdiagnosed by either GPs or hospital staff.
Tags: 5 Million, 5m, Barking Havering And Redbridge, Brain Tumour, Corrective Surgery, Doctors, Essex, Four Months, Gps, Havering, Hospital Staff, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Imperial College London, Misdiagnosis, Nhs Patients, Radiologist, University Hospitals Nhs Trust, X Ray, X Rays
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October 28th, 2009
The parents of a girl who was left paralysed after having an operation on her back are suing the hospital where she was treated.
Laura May, now 15, had begun to develop a curvature of the spine when she was 11, the Lancashire Evening Post reports.
The girl’s parents agreed that surgery was necessary and Laura was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital in February 2005.
However, surgeon Roger Battersby Smith got too close to the spinal cord during the procedure and now Laura is unable to move from the chest down.
Christine and William May have taken legal action against Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, alleging that the surgeon did not adequately monitor the distance between his tools and the girl’s spine and was therefore negligent.
The hospital claims it took "reasonable care" to ensure Laura was safe.
Earlier in 2009, the Telegraph reported that three NHS patients every month are now receiving compensation of over £1 million each because of failures in their care in hospital.
Tags: 1 Million, Battersby, Curvature Of The Spine, February 2005, Foundation Trust, Lancashire Evening Post, Nhs Patients, Parents, Reasonable Care, Spinal Cord, Teaching Hospitals, Telegraph
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October 12th, 2009
A woman whose leg was unnecessarily amputated after doctors misdiagnosed her with cancer has been awarded a six-figure compensation payout.
Doreen Nicholls, 72, found a lump in her foot and was referred to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham in August 2007.
A team of orthopaedic, radiology and histology medics advised an amputation of her leg below the knee after finding symptoms of a particularly aggressive soft tissue cancer.
However, after the grandmother underwent surgery in October 2007, it was discovered that the swelling had not been cancerous after all.
Ms Nicholls sought legal advice and pursued a compensation claim against the hospital. Although it has not admitted liability, it has agreed to a six-figure payout as part of an out-of-court settlement.
"I shall never forgive the hospital for what they’ve done to me. I just want my leg back, money doesn’t mean a thing," the victim remarked.
According to recent research from Imperial College London, as many as one in six NHS patients is currently being misdiagnosed.
Tags: Amputation, Compensation Claim, Court Settlement, Doctors, Grandmother, Histology, Imperial College London, Legal Advice, Medics, Money, Nhs Patients, Nicholls, Radiology, Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Soft Tissue Cancer, 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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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
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