Known as the three Cs, the phrase points to key elements to help combat negligence in our hospitals as it happens:
Challenge Don’t accept a situation you know is wrong. Have the confidence to calmly, but assertively make a fuss.
Collect Make it clear to staff that you are making a note of things as they happen. Ask for copies of patient notes, take a record of what has happened and when, and note down the names of the practitioners and staff involved.
Change If you feel or know that something is wrong, insist on immediate change. You will need to check back until this happens, or escalate the matter if things are not done.
The three Cs awareness campaign aims to educate people about the right to complain and ways to do so. Fletchers client Jean Cadden has lent her support to the new campaign, and knows too well how hard it can be to successfully complain about a healthcare worker or organisation. Jean pursued a medical negligence claim following her husband’s death due to negligence in 2009.
As solicitors, we can see that the NHS is constantly working to improve services and conditions for patients, but there is still an important role for patients and their families or friends to speak out when systems fail. The three Cs will help to empower people in vulnerable situations by offering a practical guide for action. The campaign also acknowledges that instances of negligent care are rarely remedied immediately, and that concerns should be treated with sincerity and documented from the outset.
