Two north-west based NHS trusts have now declared a ‘critical incident’ due to staff shortages threatening patient care. These two NHS trusts run a number of north-west hospitals, including Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Fleetwood Hospital, Clifton Hospital, Morecambe Bay, Westmorland General Hospital, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General. 

 

Both NHS trusts have declared internal critical incidents, and the chief executive of University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay, Aaron Cummins shared online that 'sadly, despite everyone's best efforts, many of our patients are still receiving a level of care and experience that falls below the level of standards we would like”. He also added that some non-urgent operations and procedures would be suspended. Similarly, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has declared that its main hospital and A&E swarmed with patients. This is due to the hospital experiencing high demand and long waits in the emergency departments and urgent care pathways. 

Along with surging covid cases leading to increased patient numbers, high case number among NHS staff members, and high staff sickness levels are leaving hospitals with more than 10% of the overall staff levels. 

 

Trish Armstrong-Child, chief executive of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has said ’I am aware of the long and protracted nature of our response to the pandemic - and thank everyone for everything being achieved, each and every day. I know colleagues are exhausted and the ask apparently relentless.’ With reduced staff numbers in NHS hospitals, and remaining staff working relentlessly in exhausted conditions, it is no wonder that the trusts are discussing that patient care is starting to slip. 

Another shocking result of the NHS problems are the forced closing of some maternity units, and ambulance waits of up to nine hours for patients in need. One paramedic working for the East of England Ambulance Service Trust told the Independent that some patients were waiting more than nine hours for ambulances, figures which are simply unacceptable. 

 

On top of this, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has warned that “women are not receiving a high standard of maternity care that they need and deserve”, and that current working conditions which are seeing women directed to other units “can’t continue because we know it compromises safety and means women don’t always get the safe positive pregnancy and birth experience that they should.” With patient care slipping, there is a growing concern that patients will suffer from unnecessary injury or illness as a result of paramedic negligence, and hospital negligence. When this happens, no matter the circumstances, the patient is entitled to make a no win no fee hospital negligence claim for financial compensation. 

When it comes to making a hospital negligence claim, there are two parts to the claim, that both need to be proved together in order to obtain financial compensation. These factors are: 

 

1. That the hospital, doctor, or medical professional acted negligently and breached their duty of care to you as their patient. To see more on this medical duty of care that exists in hospitals, click here. 

2. And that this act of hospital negligence led directly to your injuries or illness, or prolonged your injury or illness. 

 

If these things can be proved by you and your designated hospital negligence solicitor at MG Legal, then you will have a successful hospital negligence claim for financial compensation.The best way to find out more about the chances of success that your potential hospital negligence claim has, and to establish whether you are eligible to make a no win no fee claim, is to get in touch with our specialist medical negligence solicitors here. 

If you have not received the standard of hospital treatment that you deserve, or have received negligent care in any way, you could achieve financial compensation for any unnecessary illness or injury that you suffered as a result, through a no win no fee hospital negligence claim. 

 

Here at MG Legal, our medical negligence solicitors in Lancaster and Preston know that making a medical negligence claim against the NHS can be daunting, especially when they feel staff are working in difficult conditions, and many people might have reservations about it. 

 

If you would like to speak with a specialist solicitor on a free, no-obligation basis, in order to learn more about the process and what will happen when you do decide to make a claim, contact us here, or by email at enquiries@mglegal.co.uk .