Decades-old NHS mistakes costing millions of pounds in compensation

It has emerged that NHS mistakes dating back more than two decades are still costing millions of pounds each year and for the first time in five years, the negligence bill has begun to rise, with two-thirds of claims relating to failings in maternity care.

Patients’ charity Action Against Medical Accidents said the figures showed the length of time some patients and families are having to wait for payouts, adding that the increasing bill showed the tragic, long-term human cost of often basic maternity errors.

Peter Walsh, the charity’s chief executive, said “We, as a charity, have been going for 35 years and we still see the same mistakes, the same avoidable errors causing injury as we did 35 years ago.

“We have seen claims that have taken over 10 years to resolve.  Things have improved, but not enough has been done to speed up the process.”

Mr Walsh has called for a more consistent approach in training for doctors and midwives and that examples of good practice demonstrated in some hospitals should be rolled out across the country.

A spokesman from NHS Resolutions said, “NHS Resolution is now involved right from the start in order to improve the support for families and the healthcare staff involved in these rare but tragic incidents and to speed up resolution.”

Chadwick Lawrence’s team of medical negligence lawyers have years of experience in high value and complex medical negligence compensation claims and have an excellent record.  The team is led by Tony May, a specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitor, who has over 20 years experience in handling cases in which babies have been brain damaged or sustained other injuries as a result of medical negligence.  He and his team continue to represent many cerebral palsy children and young adults in medical negligence claims.  Tony also acts as the Court of Protection Deputy for many of the cerebral palsy and brain-damaged clients that he has represented, so we can continue to support you after your case is settled.  Tony can be contacted by email on tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk.  Alternatively, please call and speak to any of Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no win-no fee solicitors for free legal advice on the freephone number below.

Freephone: 0800 304 7382

For further information, please see our cerebral palsy and birth injury website:

http://www.cerebralpalsyclaimssolicitors.co.uk