Here's where you can find out what news stories we've been mentioned in, what sort of things we've been talking about, what's been on our minds, what we've been supporting. In short, anything that warrants a Fletchers mention! Dip in.
The approach of a new year is meant to bring time for reflection and given the year the NHS has had there’s an awful lot to mull over. It’s not been a great 12 months for an organisation which is always in the public eye but has seemingly been there more than ever in 2013 – and often not for the right reasons.
Ever growing numbers of people are visiting Accident and Emergency departments, seeking treatment for a huge array of different conditions. Facts show that more than 18 million attended A&E in England in the year to January 2013 – an increase of more than a million compared to the previous 12 months.
High profile problems within the NHS have been all too common over recent months, with headlines devoted to cases which represent fundamental failings in patient care. But in many instances those headlines wouldn’t have been written if it weren’t for the actions of certain individuals who were prepared to speak out about what they had seen and experienced.
The Daily Mail featured the tragic story of Mr Ian Jardine, who was wrongly told four times that he had indigestion and muscle pain, and eventually died from a heart attack.
Long waiting times, indifferent staff and a lack of basic care are inevitable sources of frustration for some people who use the NHS.
Fletchers Solicitors recognise that serious injury can change a person’s life in unimaginable ways and it can often see like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. For many people, one of their biggest concerns can be whether they can return to work and get their career back on track. The team at Fletchers has built a reputation on going the extra mile to help clients continue to lead positive lives following injury.
Have you ever looked back at how you or a loved one were treated in hospital and thought something was not right? Now with the benefit of hindsight, you may realise it was a case of medical negligence. But do you know how long you have to make a claim?
With the NHS under the spotlight for a series of recent failings, it is likely that you have read at least one story highlighting a case of medical negligence. But do you know what medical negligence really means and would you be able to recognise a scenario that could be classed as negligence?
The Daily Mirror recently covered the settlement of one of Fletchers Solicitors spinal injury clients, Ian Gilham.
Simply put, the medical negligence claim process can take a significant amount of time. While the nature of individual claims can clearly differ and some may be resolved much quicker, it’s possible that, through a combination of factors, it could result in a lengthy process that might take a number of years to conclude.
In its latest report, the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) has revealed the highest areas of claims expenditure in 2012/13, with obstetrics and gynaecology topping the list.
NHS policy chief Sir Bruce Keogh has recently pledged to increase patients access to GPs and consultants at weekends and in the evenings. But actually how beneficial will it be for GPs’ surgeries to be open seven days a week?
Burnout. It’s not just a term for motorsport enthusiasts, but one which describes an increasingly real problem for the UK’s healthcare profession, as well as the public it serves.
In April, a nation-wide ban ended the practice of law firms paying claims management companies for referring new clients. The ban aimed to make personal injury litigation more accessible to people in need, as well as to improve accountability.
CEO and Chair of the of Southport Spinal Injuries Patient Group Ed Fletcher, has featured in a video which highlights the on-going success of a local project that combines the services of the North West Regional Spinal Unit and two local charities. The projects aim is to begin patients rehabilitation sooner and as a result enable them to return home sooner.
As part of our survey into changing attitudes on pursuing legal action against medical negligence, we asked more than 600 NHS staff if they felt hospital conditions would be improved were patients to complain more at the time they noticed a drop in the standard of their care.
BBC News recently covered the settlement of one of Fletchers Solicitor’s spinal injury clients, Darren Russell.
A charity golf day held on 10th September 2013 at Hesketh Golf Club sponsored by Fletchers Solicitors has raised over 4000 for Headway Preston & Chorley.
The decision to pair strong senior managers from the nation’s top performing NHS hospitals with those facilities now under ‘special measures’ came into effect this week, with the potential to initiate an unprecedented shift in patient care.
New revelations this week that NHS hospitals are being outperformed by health services in the US have forced us to revisit the findings of July’s Keogh mortality review and question what action can be taken to improve standards of care nationwide.
While we at Fletchers would stress that compensation isn’t everything, funds awarded in cases of serious injury and medical negligence can certainly make a difference in rebuilding a person’s life. We are thrilled to announce that our client Darren Russell, who was left paralysed from the neck down after an accident in 2008, has now received one of the biggest compensation payouts in the UK.
As patients with chronic conditions trial new telehealth and telecare services from the comfort and safety of their own homes, Fletchers Solicitors asks what effect such services might have on the incidence of medical negligence.
As solicitors, it’s easy to get comfortable with the various legal terms we hear every day. Given Fletchers’ personal approach, however, it’s also important for us to put things into real terms that clients can readily understand. Here are a few common terms explained
As medical negligence and serious injury specialists, we see our fair share of life-changing injuries. From road accidents to sudden illness, or the incalculable effects of a medical misdiagnosis, the experiences of our clients serve to both challenge and inspire.
In June we launched a survey to gauge public opinion about the ethics of suing services like the NHS. Our aim was to reveal the real issues affecting our healthcare system, with the online poll acting as a platform for concerned individuals to share opinions absent from news reports and government reviews.
In his first guest blog in the prestigious Huffington Post, Ed Fletcher tackles the ever burning question as to whether it is right to sue the NHS.
Featured in a breaking Daily Mirror story, Fletchers Solicitors highlighted how bungling surgeons are being left off NHS danger lists because of a lethal loophole which puts patients at risk.
The Daily Express recently investigated how critically ill patients are often left unseen and untreated in emergency wards, sometimes for hours at a time. Frequently, this results in patients being left with debilitating symptoms. Unfortunately, if they had been treated in a proper and timely manner, the patients would not have suffered serious long term health problems, or would have been substantially better for being seen on time.
This week we launch an awareness campaign asking patients and their families to take action against sub-standard medical care. The campaign adopts the refrain ‘challenge, collect and change’ as a memorable way to prompt people who suspect medical negligence to act.
Earlier in the year we suggested means by which the NHS can seek to raise standards of care and in doing so, reduce the strain of legal action against it. Here, Fletchers Solicitors puts forward seven ways for our national provider to improve its transparency.
Last week, the Keogh Mortality Review delivered its verdict on the state of 14 NHS trusts with above-average death rates recorded between 2011 and 2012. The findings point to widespread failures within our hospital system, exemplified in the worst possible way ? avoidable patient deaths.
Fletchers Solicitors is poised for expansion following a significant increase in the number of medical negligence cases, and as a result we are looking for five senior solicitors to support our growth and join our specialist team in scenic Southport.
Last week we highlighted the difference a second opinion can make to your healthcare and overall wellbeing. The Fletchers team know from experience, however, that for many people a second opinion will come too late, and that it can’t always prevent negligence at the hands of an errant doctor or hurried hospital system.
Ever wanted a second opinion? You might have asked several friends what they think of an important decision you’re about to make, or sought a shop assistant’s opinion of a product you were looking to buy. So should your healthcare be any different?
Fletchers Solicitors recognise that serious injury brings a host of challenges, both for the individual affected and for their family and friends. From physical recovery and ongoing rehabilitation to the onslaught of medical bills, often at a time where capacity to work is harmed, it can be difficult to see beyond the negative.
We have a health service we should all be proud of. Or do we? Lately, it seems every day a new scandal emerges, and more failings are discovered. So what should we do about that?
Defining your experience of serious injury and medical negligence can be a starting point for real recovery. At Fletchers Solicitors, we work closely with victims of both serious injury and medical negligence, as well as their families, to determine what has gone wrong and to ensure necessary action is taken to prevent future mistakes.
Our last blog looked at what a medical negligence professional might change about the NHS. Putting things into a legal context like this can aid understanding for the person who has suffered likely medical negligence. But what about understanding the patient’s perspective?
The 40 mile journey took him between two of the north wests biggest cities. The riders set off from Media City in Salford Keys in Manchester, and travelled along the Manchester shipping canal and Mersey estuary, before ending up in Otterspool Park on the coast of Liverpool.
Each month, Fletchers Solicitors receives hundreds of enquiries from people concerned about the treatment they have received under the NHS. While the service has seen heightened media attention in the wake of the Francis report and the recent introduction of a Duty of Candour, the overarching concern among medical negligence professionals remains; that despite public reproach, the NHS will continue to make mistakes that put patients at risk of harm.
Back in 2009/10 the NHS determined that claims of negligence against it would cost 15.7billion in coming years. That estimate rose to 17.5billion in 2010/11, and continues to increase. If we are serious about reducing the public cost of medical negligence litigation against the NHS, there are practical steps to be explored.
Amid the continuing issues raised from the Mid Staffordshire scandal, and ongoing revelations concerning systematic failings within the NHS, there is growing concern about the amount of clinical negligence claims being made and about where taxpayer money is being spent.
If you’ve ever been a hospital patient, or supported someone through their treatment and care, you’ll know what a trying time this can be. Add to that the experience of suspected medical negligence and it is little wonder you may be feeling overwhelmed.
Image: Michael Dorausch
Spinal injury is life-changing, for both the ‘victim’ and for the friends and family charged with supporting a loved one in the most adverse circumstances. There are different kinds of spinal cord injuries and each one brings its own set of personal challenges. In most cases, this kind of serious injury necessitates use of a wheelchair; a new world in itself.
When you’re treated by a healthcare professional, whether it’s a doctor or a surgeon, a dentist, a pharmacist or a care home attendant, they are bound by law to attend to your needs to the best of their abilities. Unfortunately though, that’s not always the case and there are instances where people suffer from negligence at the hands of the medical profession.
Yesterday I was delighted to be asked to contribute a BBC Radio 5 Live show, 5 Live investigates with Adrian Goldberg, with Ann Alexander reporting. In brief, the programme asked whether patient safety is being put at risk because NHS Trusts are not sharing information about doctors who are delivering inadequate standards of care. My answer to that question is “yes, undoubtedly”.
Medical misdiagnosis represents a serious breach of a patient’s duty of care. If you have experienced misdiagnosis first-hand or have supported someone through the after effects of a wrongful diagnosis, you understand the sense of despair at trust misplaced, even in cases where health is restored.
Medical negligence is a breach of duty of care by healthcare professionals. Sometimes a ‘sorry’ will suffice, but for other times, it just doesn’t cut it. On occasions when a life has been changed forever because someone didn’t do their job properly, a medical negligence lawyer will step in.
In the same week that Robert Francis QC delivered his recommendations for the fundamental improvements in care required in the NHS, the coroner’s verdict on the death of Christopher Farrington highlights the tragic outcomes when hospital systems and procedures break down.
Clinic has announced its next drop in meeting for 2013. This is open to adults who have acquired brain injury, their families, friends and carers. To find out more information, please visit their homepage: www.headwayprestonandchorley.com
Walton Centre’s annual ball to help raise money for much needed projects and support services. Funds raised from this year’s ball will go towards the ?home from Home? appeal which will fund extra equipment and therapy gardens in an expanded and improved, specialised rehabilitation unit, with 30 beds.
Fletchers Solicitors Receives Highest Award.
After holding the Investors in People accreditation for almost 20 years and was one of the first firms in the North West to obtain the award. Fletchers Solicitors have now been awarded the Investors in People Gold Award which recognises excellence at the highest level.
A major fundraising campaign has been launched to provide relatives’ accommodation and rehabilitation facilities at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.
