Contrary to popular opinion, medical negligence doesn’t just occur in hospitals and can essentially happen anywhere. Below, we look at some of the most common places that medical negligence can occur.
In the home – Elderly people are most likely to be at risk of medical negligence in the home as they are the most common age group to receive at-home care. A common form of negligence occurring in the home is the development of pressure sores, otherwise known as bed sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers.
Pressure sores can develop in potentially any patient when they spend too long lying or sitting in one position, but are again most commonly found amongst the elderly particularly if they have difficulty moving due to injury, severe illness or sedation. The NHS estimates that up to 70% of elderly patients with mobility problems in the UK will develop pressure sores and unfortunately, it often does not take long for them to develop.
It is the carer’s responsibility to move the patient at regular intervals to prevent pressure sores from developing. Pressure sores are caused by continuous pressure on one side of the skin and friction from lack of movement, and can potentially become very serious indeed.
At the GP’s surgery – One of the most common forms of negligence to occur in a GP’s surgery is misdiagnosis, as this is the place where we first go when suffering certain symptoms, to seek a doctor’s opinion. It is your GP’s responsibility to thoroughly assess your symptoms and prescribe the most appropriate medication to address the symptoms described. Alternatively, your GP is responsible for referring you on to another medical professional, who can assess your symptoms further.
If your symptoms are not assessed correctly, and this has led to your symptoms worsening, leaving you needing further treatment or worse, leaving your illness untreatable, this is regarded as medical negligence.
At the hospital – Should you or your loved one fall ill, you will likely call 999 and rely heavily on ambulance services to take you or your family member to hospital and in the hands of medical professionals as soon as possible. Although rare, sadly mistakes by ambulance staff and medical professionals can and do happen, before the patient even gets to the hospital.
Upon arriving at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department, and in line with national standards, you should be seen to within four hours and referred on for the most suitable course of action from there. Similarly, if you arrive at a hospital by car, you should be seen to within a reasonable time, but A&E patients do take priority.
There are various types of medical negligence that can occur at hospitals and one of the most common is surgical negligence. which can happen before, during or after surgery. When we are told that we must go in for medical surgery, many of us are naturally very anxious about the procedure we are going in for but every day thousands of successful operations are carried out at hospitals across the country with many of these proving to be totally life-changing. Regrettably, however, things can and do and wrong and if so the implications can be very serious indeed.
If you or your loved one believes you have suffered medical negligence of any kind then you might be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Give us a call on 0800 122 3036 or contact us online here to discuss your individual case.