It has been reported in the press this week that surgical mistakes made by the NHS are on the rise with more than 6,000 incidents being reported last year – three times more than in 2005. Common mistakes include punctures, perforations and haemorrhages, with campaigners saying that poor training and inadequate staffing levels explain this rise in mistakes.
Peter Walsh, of the charity Action Against Medical Accidents told the Daily Mail:
“I suspect inadequate staffing and increased pressure at work are also factors
“Of course it is a known risk of surgery that these things happen, but that doesn’t make it OK and much of the time they are really bad errors that are perfectly avoidable.
“One of the most common mistakes we hear of during laparoscopic surgery is perforation of the bowel. This is very, very serious and can be fatal if not repaired very quickly.”
Mr Walsh also said some surgeons were concerned that their training was not as thorough as it once was.
Compensation claims cost the NHS 1.4billion last year, which was a 27% increase from 2014. Hospitals have also been told to cancel thousands of procedures deemed non-urgent. Last year 10,000 deaths in English hospitals were classed as being avoidable.
As part of my work here at Farleys, I see clients on a regular basis who have unfortunately suffered as a result of poor medical care by the NHS. The vast majority of surgical procedures goes ahead without any problem, but sadly on the other side mistakes are happening , with a lot of them being basic errors, completely avoidable should the correct procedures be put in place.
Here at Farleys our specialist Medical Negligence team are experts in this area of law, successfully securing compensation and medical care for clients who have suffered as a result of Medical Negligence. For a free initial claim assessment contact Farleys Solicitors on 0845 287 0939 or alternatively please complete an online enquiry form.