Tag: healthcare
If you need our specialist advice as expert medical negligence solicitors when it comes to matters of A&E negligence, we can help you.
Winter is here, and we are potentially facing a rather cold one. The extra strain that the NHS will face is likely on its way if it’s not already here, and we may see bed shortages and longer waits in A&E. Whilst we know that it’s for the government to ensure that we have a fully functioning and properly funded healthcare service, patients cannot be allowed to suffer in silence.
When patients do suffer, lives can be turned upside down. And that’s where we come in.
What is being called the “largest maternity scandal in NHS history” involving the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SATH) has hit the headlines this week.
We’re shocked and appalled by what we have seen, which appears to be a period of 40 years of negligent care and treatment that may involve as many as 600 cases of medical negligence. Leaked reports appear to have singled out at least 42 infant deaths and the deaths of three mothers, as well as outlining more than 50 cases of children being left with brain damage.
It appears that there has been substandard care across the board which may have resulted in dozens of deaths and cases of children being left with permanent and catastrophic injuries.
Read More “Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust scandal advice”
In some circumstances, cancelled NHS appointments can be unavoidable. But with reports of increasing numbers of delays and problems, we need to look at patient safety.
And we also need to look at when cancellations lead to patient suffering, and whether a victim can be entitled to make a claim for medical negligence compensation.
It’s understood that there are increasing numbers of appointments being cancelled, and some are being cancelled more than once. There have been reports of some patients facing 10 cancellations in a row, which is staggering. With this problem seemingly on the rise, what can patients do?
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As well as needing to talk about our mental health, we also need to make sure that we talk about, and address, mental health negligence claims.
Mental health has never been more prevalent than it this day and age. It’s not the misunderstood and sometimes even taboo topic that it used to be. With World Mental Health Day passing last week, we wanted to briefly talk about the issues surrounding diagnosis and treatment, and how they tie in with claims for compensation.
In the same way that a lack of treatment or a lack of a diagnosis for a physical ailment can leave patients suffering more, and suffering worse, the same can be said about our mental health as well.
Rivaroxaban / Xarelto compensation settlements have landed in the U.S., to the tune of $775m for around 25,000 cases being pursued.
The money is to be paid out by both Bayer AG and Johnson & Johnson as the co-creators of the drug. They strenuously deny any wrongdoing, and maintain that the drug is safe for use. However, the settlements have been agreed without any admission of liability.
The blood-thinning medication that’s used for stroke patients has been at the centre of concerns for quite some time. We’re representing patients who have suffered side-effects from using the drug as part of claims for personal injury compensation. Although the settlement is for the U.S. only, this is a positive step in the global fight for justice.
Read More “Xarelto compensation settlements for 25,000 cases”
Like all drugs, there can be inherent complications. However, there could be more sinister reasons behind certain valsartan side effects people may suffer from.
There’s been a huge Europe-wide recall of the blood pressure drug last year, which we covered last year. This stems from a potential contamination issue in the manufacturing process. As a result, valsartan that’s supplied by Actavis Group PTC (now Accord) and Dexcel Pharma Ltd is now subject to a recall.
The potential contamination issue could be incredibly serous for anyone that’s affected by it. In America, there are already class actions and group cases for people who have taken the drug. Our lawyers want to hear from anyone in the UK who has suffered problems.
In a bid to save some £265m a year, there are set to be free prescription changes to stamp out abuse of the system.
The aim of the changes are to tackle fraudulent free prescriptions that could be wasting millions in valuable resources. From patients not entitled to free prescriptions, to some pharmacists and dentists receiving payments for phantom procedures, it’s an issue that needs resolving.
As the NHS continues to struggle with underfunding, a lack of resources and staff shortages, we can’t have any avoidable waste in the system.
We welcome the move for a crackdown on hospital staff bullying incidents, as alarming figures have revealed the extent of bullying within the NHS.
At a time when NHS funding is already a problem, and the economy remains in an uncertain position because of Brexit, we need an efficient public health service. It’s therefore incredibly concerning to hear about alarming statistics over the extent of hospital staff bullying incidents that are going on.
A crackdown is now set to come into effect where hospital bosses will be held accountable – and even sacked – for failing to deal with bullying in the NHS.
Read More “Crackdown on hospital staff bullying incidents a welcome move”
It’s understood that the HPV vaccine reduces cervical cancer, with a decrease of 86% seen in women aged between 16 to 21.
The recent government reports states that vaccinations to defend against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 16 and 18 infections is working. These infections are known to cause the majority of cervical cancer cases.
The information published over the summer in the Journal of Infectious Diseases is welcome news. The data suggest that the HPV vaccination programme will lead to significant reductions in cervical cancer cases arising in the future.
NHS patients are increasingly being denied hip and knee replacements as a result of funding issues, leaving people at risk of complications and mobility problems.
According to a British Medical Journal study, patients are being denied hip and knee replacements more and more, with refusals increasing by 45% when compared to the previous year.
These restrictions on procedures are a damning reflection of the continuing NHS funding problems that are only going to leave patients more vulnerable to complications and prolonged mobility problems, which in turn could see a rise in cases of negligence.
Last year’s investigation into the tragic Shropshire baby deaths is to be widened as the number of cases has increased from 23 to over 40.
The investigation that was launched last year into the quality of care at a Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust maternity unit has been looking into a lack of staff and a lack of a learning couture to prevent incidents, with a number of the Shropshire baby deaths cases being linked to negligence.
Infant deaths, maternal deaths and brain injuries are among the problems that have been linked to poor quality of care within the Trust.
It’s fair to say that the line between due diligence and potential medical negligence is thin. We all know that the NHS is stretched, and services like GPs and A&E Departments must remain efficient and well-funded.
It’s therefore understandable that NHS campaigns nowadays sometimes try and persuade people to only use NHS services where it’s absolutely necessary. In days gone by, doctors may have frowned upon patients Googling their symptoms and jumping to irrational conclusions, but in today’s increasingly digital age, patients are actually encouraged to look online before they use NHS time.
But, the line between this is worryingly thin.
Read More “The line between due diligence and medical negligence is thin”