Failure to arrange treatment claims

If a failure to arrange treatment for a medical condition made your condition worse, you may be able to claim compensation. Our specialist medical negligence team can support you.

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Reviewed by

Kate Lozynska

Associate Solicitor & Team Leader

Additional content

Sharon Banga

Partner & Team Leader

Last Updated

16th July 2026

Can I make a failure to arrange treatment claim?

You can start a failure to arrange treatment compensation claim if a healthcare professional did not arrange the next step in your care and this caused you harm. That next step could have been medication or surgery, a test, a referral, a follow-up appointment, a review of your results or an urgent assessment.

From GP negligence to errors in hospital care, we’ve represented clients in cases involving: failure to arrange tests; failure to refer; failure to act on results; failure to follow up; delayed treatment and failure to arrange urgent care.

We need to demonstrate that the care you received fell below the expected standard and that failure caused you harm. If that happened, we’ll identify the provider responsible and bring a claim against them on your behalf. This could be a GP practice, an NHS trust or a private clinic.

We understand you may be unsure whether you have grounds for a claim. Contact us as soon as you can, as medical negligence claims are subject to time limits. Use our online form for your free initial assessment.

Example of a failure to arrange treatment claim

You may have gone to your GP for a health concern that required a scan or a specialist referral. They sent you home without one, and your condition got worse. If we can argue that a reasonably competent clinician would have arranged a scan or referral, you may have grounds to make a claim.

Common failure to arrange treatment claims we support

Expertise you can trust

9/10 clients would recommend us
APIL accredited experts
4000+ client outcomes achieved in the last 12 months

What compensation can help with

Recovering lost income and covering future care

The level of compensation you receive for not getting the treatment you needed depends on how much harm it caused you. The more severe the outcome and the longer your recovery takes, the higher the payment. In the most serious cases, awards can reach six or seven figures.

We also consider the financial impact that failure to arrange treatment has had on you. This can include the costs of private treatment, rehabilitation, travel to appointments, lost income, care at home, and more.

A successful failure to arrange treatment claim could fund:

Follow-up appointments and treatment for your condition
Psychological support and counselling for the anxiety and distress caused
Loss of earnings if your condition has affected your ability to work
Travel costs related to hospital appointments and treatment
Care and assistance costs if your daily life has been significantly affected
General damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity

Understanding the potential value

In a recent case, a failure to arrange a vascular assessment led to amputation for one of our clients. Associate solicitor, Georgina Tither, was able to secure £1.2 million in compensation for our client. No two settlements are the same because every case is different. However, be assured that we’ll work to secure the best possible compensation for you.

Understanding interim payments

In more complex and serious cases, there can be a delay between launching your claim and receiving compensation. Where possible, and where immediate care and recovery support is required, we’ll seek interim payments to help cover treatment, care or lost income before we settle your claim.

Specialist failure to arrange treatment claim solicitors

Our experience in medical negligence goes back to 1987

Why choose Fletchers for your failure to arrange treatment claim

For over 40 years, we have built a leading reputation for our expertise in medical negligence claims - including catastrophic injuries and amputation claims. This experience gives our solicitors the medical and legal knowledge to handle delayed diagnosis claims of every severity, including those involving life-changing harm.

Expertise you can rely on

Lexcel accredited by the Law Society
Solicitors accredited by the AvMA Specialist Clinical Negligence Panel and the Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme
Ranked by Chambers and the Legal 500
Recognised with national legal awards
A trusted partner of the Spinal Injuries Association

You’re not alone

We understand the stress this situation has caused you.

Our multidisciplinary team manages every aspect of your case, from locating and securing vital medical records to instructing independent experts. They review your care and help us show where it fell short and how this caused your injury.

We understand that making a claim for compensation is a big step. Some people worry that a claim will become another distraction from their recovery and the effort needed to get their life back to normal, but we can assure you that settling a claim favourably is well worth the effort.

You had the right to expect a reasonable standard of healthcare, and you were let down. There has been a real cost to you physically, emotionally and financially. It may have stopped you from working, affected your confidence and made getting through each day harder.

Our clients tell us that receiving compensation was an important step towards regaining their independence and returning to the things that mattered to them. Getting compensation is more than just about the money. It means someone takes responsibility for failing to arrange your treatment and what happened to you as a result is acknowledged.

Happy amputee doing exercises for upper body strength on exercise machine at gym.

Rehabilitation support

We go beyond legal advice to support you, not just your case, making sure the right care and practical help are in place throughout the compensation claim process.

A message from our Rehabilitation and Wellbeing Team

We work alongside Fletchers Solicitors’ legal experts – listening carefully to your needs, helping you understand what support is available and creating a personalised recovery plan.

Led by rehabilitation manager Julie Chorlton, we bring together expertise across healthcare, therapy and welfare support, and can help arrange access to treatment and financial support. We also work with accredited mental health professionals, giving you and your family access to counselling quickly.

OUR REHABILITATION & WELLBEING TEAM

People we’ve supported

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FAQs about failure to arrange treatment claims

Can I claim for failure to arrange treatment?

You may be able to make a claim if the GP, hospital doctor, or consultant looking after you failed to arrange treatment at all or within a reasonable time. This may mean they didn’t arrange a test, referral, follow-up appointment, or medication.

Can I sue the NHS for waiting times?

You can’t usually claim compensation just because of NHS waiting times. Claims can only relate to a failure to organise the treatment you needed which should’ve been arranged sooner.

How long after failure to arrange treatment can I make a claim?

You usually have three years to bring a claim for failure to arrange treatment. The clock starts on the date of the last failure, or the date you realised the failure may have caused you harm.

How long does a failure to arrange treatment claim take?

The length of time it takes from claiming compensation for a failure to arrange treatment to the time you receive the award varies according to how complex your case is and whether the other party accepts liability.

How do I start a failure to arrange treatment claim?

Start by contacting Fletchers for a free initial assessment. Take us through what happened to you step-by-step. We’ll then get back to you with our assessment on whether we think you have a case.

Do failure to arrange treatment claims go to court?

Many claims settle without a final court hearing. If the other side denies liability or disputes our evidence, it may eventually go to a judge. If it does, Fletchers manages the entire process so you can concentrate on your recovery.