Clinical Negligence

Samantha Hannon of Slee Blackwell’s PIP Implant Action Group reports on recent developments

Our offices are continuing to receive a high volume of new PIP implant compensation enquiries from all over the UK. With an estimated 50,000 women in Britain being affected, there is no sign of these enquiries declining anytime soon.

While many of us may think that younger doctors should be avoided for the steady hand of a more experienced surgeon a new study has shown that this isn’t the case, with surgeons mid-career between the ages of 35 and 50 being deemed the safest.

Published in the British Medical Journal the study showed that those who have been carrying out the same operations for more than 20 years demonstrated a marked deterioration in their performance.

James McNally, a partner at Slee Blackwell and a member of the firm’s Clinical Negligence team said:

The Medical Defence Union (MDU), which provides insurance to the majority of family doctors in the UK, has recently published data showing a 20% increase in clinical negligence claims against GP’s in 2010.  The MDU report that clinical negligence claims in general are on the increase but there is a marked rise in cases against family doctors.

The biggest increases in medical negligence claims involve a late or wrong diagnosis, followed by a failure to refer patients to a specialist.

Devon medical negligence solicitor Sam Robson reports on a notable victory for her client

A young woman has won a substantial six figure award of compensation following her legal battle against North Devon District Hospital (NDDH) as a consequence its failure to diagnose a serious neurological condition. 

Lucy Squire reviews the clinical negligence protocol

The Pre-Action Protocol for the Resolution of Clinical Disputes was instigated by the Clinical Disputes Forum, a multi-disciplinary body which was formed in 1997 following Lord Woolf’s groundbreaking ‘Access to Justice’ Reforms.

Medical Negligence Solicitor, Samantha Robson comments on the latest clinical negligence claim stats from the Medical Defence Union

Medical negligence solicitor, Samantha Robson, takes a look at the vexed issue of consent from a personal perspective