September 7th, 2009
Mistakes by NHS staff in prescribing and administering drugs cause moderate or severe harm to more than 220 patients every month, according to a new report.
Figures compiled by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) show that there were 86,085 reported medication mistakes during 2007, although it is believed only around ten per cent of incidents were recorded.
The vast majority of the mistakes resulted in little or no harm to patients. However, 37 patients died as a result of medication incidents, 63 suffered severe harm and 2,710 errors caused moderate harm.
NPSA statistics showed that 41 per cent of the most serious incidents were caused by mistakes in the administration of drugs, while 32 per cent resulted from prescribing mistakes.
Responding to the NPSA’s report, Norman Lamb, health spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, called on NHS officials to ensure systems to protect patient safety are in place.
He added: "Settling claims for damages costs the NHS nearly £1 billion per year, which could be spent on patient care."
Tags: 1 Billion, Administration Of Drugs, Damages, Deaths, Health, Lead, Liberal Democrats, Medication, Medication Mistakes, National Patient Safety, National Patient Safety Agency, Nhs, Norman Lamb, Npsa, Patient Care, Patient Safety Agency, Spokesman, Statistics
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
November 28th, 2008
Nottingham University Hospitals has paid £10,000 to the family of four-month-old Ellie Behan, who died from a rare bowel condition less than two weeks after being discharged from Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC).
The Nottingham Evening Post reports that Ellie had shown signs of being seriously ill when she vomited green liquid in front of nurses, but the information was not passed on to doctors and the family were told they could take her home later that day.
She then became critically ill and died nine days later.
Ellie had initially been admitted for vomiting green liquid, but she vomited clear liquid in front of the doctor who first saw her, which indicated that her ailment was not as serious. Her case was then passed on to another doctor.
"We are deeply sorry that there were shortcomings in the care she received," commented trust spokesman Stephen Fowlie.
"Ellie should not have been discharged when she first came to the QMC."
The news comes as the Southport Visitor revealed that medical payouts by Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust increased by 60 per cent over the last 12 months.
Tags: 12 Months, Ailment, Behan, Doctor Who, Ellie, Fowlie, Hospital Trust, Medical Centre, Nine Days, Nottingham Evening Post, Nurses, Ormskirk, Qmc, Shortcomings, Southport And Ormskirk Nhs Trust, Southport Visitor, Spokesman, University Hospitals, Wrongful Discharge
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
November 28th, 2008
Bowthorpe 53-year-old Ivor Woods has vowed to seek compensation for his father’s death from mesothelioma, the Norwich Evening News has reported.
Leslie Woods was exposed to asbestos during his career as a carpenter, which resulted in the malignant lung condition that took his life at the age of 87 in September last year.
However, his son is not sure precisely where or when the exposure took place and is asking for information that could help him identify the location.
He believes his father may have come into contact with asbestos at a number of hospitals in London during the 1970s when he was employed by Anglian Widows.
A spokesman for Anglian Home Improvements said the company could not comment on the case before it gains specific details of how, when and where Mr Woods worked for them.
Giving insight into why he is seeking compensation, Mr Woods said: "I never want to see anyone be so afraid through struggling to breath and be so scared as he was in his final hours."
The Health & Safety Executive recently launched a campaign designed to raise awareness that asbestos is still a danger to workers, particularly those in the construction industry.
Tags: 1970s, Amp, Anglian Home Improvements, Asbestos, Career, Carpenter, Compensation Claim, Construction Industry, Health, Hospitals In London, Insight, Leslie Woods, Lung Condition, Mesothelioma, Norwich, Safety Executive, Spokesman, Widows
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
August 20th, 2008
A couple are taking legal action against a hospital they accuse of medical negligence over the birth of their child.
Nadia and Steven Jones are seeking compensation from Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which provides services to a population of around 550,000.
Ms Jones’ waters broke while she was at home in September 2004 and she went into hospital to be examined.
According to the couple, routine checks that would have revealed the baby was in distress were not conducted and she was sent home.
Despite reporting concerns, it was only on her fourth visit to hospital that midwives detected problems and called for an emergency caesarean section.
Ms Jones and her husband were then told that their son was stillborn, only to be informed two hours later that he was in fact still alive. He died, however, a few hours later from a lack of oxygen and septicaemia.
A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust stated: "We cannot comment on this matter at this stage as it is the subject of legal proceedings."
Tags: Acute Hospitals Nhs Trust, Caesarean Section, Childbirth, Hospitals Nhs Trust, Lack Of Oxygen, Legal Proceedings, Medical Negligence, Ms Jones, Nadia, Population, Routine Checks, Spokesman, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Nhs Trust
Posted in Clinical Negligence News | No Comments »
August 14th, 2008
A coroner has issued a warning to parents to stress the dangers of playing in dangerous environments after a young boy was killed in Wales.
Jordan Widdall-Hughes, aged 10, died after falling off a lorry which he had grabbed onto as it passed him in the street.
The boy and his friends had been so-called ‘lorry-surfing’, a craze among some young people which sees them using their mobile phones to film themselves jumping onto lorries and posting the clips on YouTube.
However, Jordan fell as the lorry accelerated and hit his head. He died later in hospital.
Newport coroner David Bowen said: "I hope the parents of youngsters who read this stress to their children that jumping on moving vehicles is an unacceptable, very dangerous and potentially fatal habit."
Roger Vincent, spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents told the BBC that parents should talk to their children about possible risks during the summer holidays in order to avoid further tragedies. 
Tags: Bbc, Coroner, Dangerous Environments, David Bowen, Friends, Habit, Jordan, Lorries, Mobile Phones, Newport, Parents, Prevention, Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents, Spokesman, Summer Holidays, Surfing, Tragedies, Wales, Youngsters, Youtube
Posted in Personal Injury News | No Comments »
