When we are admitted into a hopsital of any kind for treament of a condition, or an operation, we expect the best level of care to be taken. While this is usually the case under the NHS, sometimes mistakes are made and medical professionals act negligently. This was certainly the case for Jeannette Shields, who was recieving treatment for gall stones in Carlile's Cumberland Infirmary. After pressing her bedside buzzer and receiving no response, she attempted to go to the toilet alone when she fell and broke her hip. It was while undergoing surgery for this break that Jeanette was tragically dropped from the operating table by her doctors. 

 

This was an obvious case of medical negligence from the medical professionals involved. Still, it is not always this obvious to detect and identify negligent actions. In this post, our expert medical negligence solicitors near you will discuss the growing problem, and what can be done.  

By definition, a medical negligence claim is when a patient claims against a medical professional or hospital for compensation due to an act negligence during their care. There are a large number of things that fall under the umbrella of medical negligence, some of which you may not even consider when you think of the term.  

 

These include, but are not limited to:- 

One common mistake that people make is to assume that they can only raise a claim for medical negligence against a doctor. However, this is not the case. Any and all of the people who we come into contact with through the NHS owe us a duty of care. In the United Kingdom, the breached standard of care required to pursue a claim for medical negligence derives from the case of Bolam v Friern Hospital Management Committee (1957). Here, the court in Bolam stated that a medical practitioner is deemed to have acted negligently towards a patient if they have acted in a manner the others in the same field would deem unacceptable.  

 

Therefore, to defend a medical negligence claim brought against them, a medical professional must show that they have acted in a way that a responsible body of medical professionals in the same field would regard as acceptable. The test is essentially a peer review of the professional's behaviour - if others would have acted in a similar way, then the doctor is unlikely to have breached his duty of care. 

 

So, while a doctor would be used to verify the actions of another doctor in the same field, any kind of medical professional can have a claim made against them. This goes for dentists, opticians, cosmetic surgeons, and all others.  

Here at MG Legal, we are the first to sing the praises of the NHS. They do an amazing job everyday to go above and beyond to provide care, all while working under increasingly busy and high-pressure conditions. However, we have to remember that the treatment we receive under the NHS is not free, we pay for the services through the taxing of our wages and National Insurance payments.  

 

Over recent years, cases of medical negligence in the UK have risen drastically. From 2018 to 2019 alone, the number of medical negligence claims made against the NHS rose by 9.3% from 10,684 to 11,682. These numbers are simply too high, but are more than likely closely linked to the growing strain that NHS staff are under in terms of understaffing and overcrowding issues in our hospitals.  

If you believe that you have been subject to any kind of medical negligence, and would like to begin the process of making a claims or discuss what your options are, then get in touch with MG Legal, local solicitors near me, today. With over thirty years experience, our expert team of solicitors have won all kinds of medical negligence for our clients, from medical misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment, to surgical errors and and the improper prescription of drugs. 

 

Our experts know that medical practitioners often have to work in busy, cramped conditions, and under lots of pressure. Still, this does not mean that you should have to be subject to medical negligence. After all, you have done nothing wrong, and our solicitors understand that. Read our reviews, here. If we can help you, then you will not find a team who will put more work into helping you pursue compensation for medical negligence. 

Our team can be contacted from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, online, here, or at your local office in Lancaster, Garstang, or Longridge. 

 

If it’s outside of Office hours, contact our team via email to enquiries@mglegal.co.uk and a member of our expert team will contact you as soon as possible to discuss your enquiry.