Suing the Nhs

[Manchester33]

Re: Suing the Nhs

Medicine is not an exact science. If an individual fucks up that badly, then sue them personally. Chasing money from an already overstretched NHS isn't doing any of us any favours.

And what happens when people decide a career in medicine isn't worth the risk. Okay, they could take out personal insurance cover, but then they'll want increased salaries to cover the premiums (which won't be cheap). Ultimately the NHS will still pick up the tab.

You're thinking what our overlords want you to think. The government has money to spend on the NHS.

 

[The Silver Surfer]

Re: Suing the Nhs

There is a helpline for people thinking of taking action for medical accidents it's a charity called AvMA and they offer help and advice to the victims of medical negligence it may be worth you giving them a call. Your wife must be devastated gaining so much weight when she was so slim before the treatment, hopefully you'll be able to get some compensation for her.

Thanks for that pal I didnt know about it I will check them out.

I would though ask did you read of the possible side effects before the treatment, were you given leaflets explaining what the injection involved? Every medicine/drug etc i have taken has always come with warnings about side effects and if you consent to the treatment i assume they will assume you are aware of the downsides. If none were given its worth exploring advice in my opinion.
l

The only thing we remember was a form ( i think we got a pink copy) but it was just like a "sign here" form for consent, not much to it. It certainly didnt list things that could be potential problems. Surfice to say that has disappeared - again if it had meant anything we would have made sure we kept it.

 

[SWP's back]

Re: Suing the Nhs

I was in the car earlier and heard an advert for a company encouraging people to use them to sue the Nhs for any cock ups.

With all the cut backs recently I don't know how I'd feel about suing the Nhs. I'd have to be pretty fucking angry to go to those measures as I fail to see how it would benefit anyone (other than myself).

A few years ago my friends mum sadly passed away from cancer that the hospital failed to spot numerous times. Him and his family are now suing the hospital for around £1 million (don't know if they got that, I don't like to ask)

In the case of my mate I can see why they would be angry enough to want to sue but I'm a bit uncomfortable if it starts becoming a common thing.

My sister is suing them for exactly that having had a cancerous lump missed on her breast on 5 occasions and on a mammogram. They only detected it when she demanded a biopsy on it some 12 months after first seeing her GP and they treated her like she was a nut job.

 

[SWP's back]

Re: Suing the Nhs

Medicine is not an exact science. If an individual fucks up that badly, then sue them personally. Chasing money from an already overstretched NHS isn't doing any of us any favours.

Worst idea I've ever seen on here.

 

[Kirkstall Blue]

Re: Suing the Nhs

There is a helpline for people thinking of taking action for medical accidents it's a charity called AvMA and they offer help and advice to the victims of medical negligence it may be worth you giving them a call. Your wife must be devastated gaining so much weight when she was so slim before the treatment, hopefully you'll be able to get some compensation for her.

Thanks for that pal I didnt know about it I will check them out.

I would though ask did you read of the possible side effects before the treatment, were you given leaflets explaining what the injection involved? Every medicine/drug etc i have taken has always come with warnings about side effects and if you consent to the treatment i assume they will assume you are aware of the downsides. If none were given its worth exploring advice in my opinion.
l

The only thing we remember was a form ( i think we got a pink copy) but it was just like a "sign here" form for consent, not much to it. It certainly didnt list things that could be potential problems. Surfice to say that has disappeared - again if it had meant anything we would have made sure we kept it.

On a side note...I had a steroid injection in my spine and a form to sign a copy of which I kept and I've just had a look and it has one or two things listed on it but nothing like what your wife has ended up with, mainly localised haematoma,rectal collapse and nothing much else, hope that helps in some way.

 

[Mustard Dave]

Re: Suing the Nhs

Medicine is not an exact science. If an individual fucks up that badly, then sue them personally. Chasing money from an already overstretched NHS isn't doing any of us any favours.

And what happens when people decide a career in medicine isn't worth the risk. Okay, they could take out personal insurance cover, but then they'll want increased salaries to cover the premiums (which won't be cheap). Ultimately the NHS will still pick up the tab.

You're thinking what our overlords want you to think. The government has money to spend on the NHS.

Who is that aimed at - me or fy6blue?

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Re: Suing the Nhs

If they've screwed up when they needn't have done and the patient or their family have suffered financial loss as a result then it's perfectly right to sue them.

We lost a baby in circumstances which we believed were entirely forseeable and preventable from the outset, and where the actions of the medical staff (particularly the consultant) went against clearly established best practice. We spoke to AVMA (who I can highly recommend) and they advised that we seemed to have a case. There was little to be gained from suing them though as we hadn't really suffered any financial loss and it would have involved years of stress, plus we'd have felt guilty about profiting from the death of our child and would have given any money straight to charity. Had the consultant or a senior NHS representative given us a full explanation and apology, together with a plan as to how they would stop this happening to other people in future then we'd have accepted it and moved on.

The problem is that they usually go into cover-up mode when there's been a cock-up or the possibility of one and taking them to court is often the only way of getting to the truth. If they were more transparent and honest, then I think most people would be happy with an apology and some assurance that any systemic failures had been corrected, or that negligent staff had been dealt with appropriately. But the consultant was an absolute pig, plus he resigned from the NHS as soon as he thought he was in trouble and it left a lingering sense of bitterness.

 

[Blue Mist]

Re: Suing the Nhs

Well here is one for you, Total honest truth........
I do some work for a bus company. At 08.00 this morning they saw a man walking in the area where they park buses. They approached and found a confused incoherent man, barefoot and in a dressing gown. When they opened the dressing gown they found he still had his intravenous cannulas in. It was obvious he had left a hospital having removed all his drips. The ambulance that attended told staff he had been on a ward and until the company phoned, nobody knew he was missing from the hospital !!

I don't agree with suing the NHS as it is likely to end up like car accidents where false claims are made BUT something needs to be do to make them improve standards and simple patient care.

 

[The Silver Surfer]

Re: Suing the Nhs

Well here is one for you, Total honest truth........
I do some work for a bus company. At 08.00 this morning they saw a man walking in the area where they park buses. They approached and found a confused incoherent man, barefoot and in a dressing gown. When they opened the dressing gown they found he still had his intravenous cannulas in. It was obvious he had left a hospital having removed all his drips. The ambulance that attended told staff he had been on a ward and until the company phoned, nobody knew he was missing from the hospital !!

I don't agree with suing the NHS as it is likely to end up like car accidents where false claims are made BUT something needs to be do to make them improve standards and simple patient care.

Reminds me actually of what happened to my mum after a stroke. Shed been in a couple of weeks when one night another elderly woman on her ward was in a lot of discomfort.
She shouted for help, none came and then went up and down the ward (really struggling remember shed just had a stroke) and found there were no nurses about! On a stroke ward. Now she was not 100% compus mentus obviously considering what she had recently gone through - but that is all the more reason why the whole ward should have been supervised !

Anyway she goes looking for help - straight out of the door - which should of been locked, down the corrider, down the stairs, OUTSIDE, along the road the length of the hospital near the main road the hospital is on, where CCTV get sight of her and they send security.

I thought she was off her head on the drugs when she told me and was gobsmacked when a nurse casually confirmed it. She did apologize but I was fucking fuming and was writing a letter of complaint when my mum persuaded me not to - I think out of embarrassment, so i didnt for her sake.

I wish I had now if only to make them accountable..

 

[fy6blue]

Re: Suing the Nhs

And what happens when people decide a career in medicine isn't worth the risk. Okay, they could take out personal insurance cover, but then they'll want increased salaries to cover the premiums (which won't be cheap). Ultimately the NHS will still pick up the tab.

You're thinking what our overlords want you to think. The government has money to spend on the NHS.

Who is that aimed at - me or fy6blue?

Not sure. To clarify my previous post, I was refering to cases of gross professional misconduct, not the OP's mates unfortunate experience.
Suing the arse off any individual or organisation for genuine mistakes, accidents, unforeseen circumstances etc is obviously complete bollocks.