The NHS is without a doubt one of the great British institutions and people in the UK only need look at the state of healthcare in America if they ever need to remind themselves of how lucky we are to have it.

However, the NHS is not infallible, and each year you could make a long list of the names of people who have been let down by negligence and unprofessional practice on behalf of NHS staff.

Not that it is only the NHS who make mistakes – private hospitals too are regularly the focus of claims for medical negligence from patients who feel their treatment, which can often be very costly indeed, has let them down.

Realising you are a victim

In Britain it is not in our culture to criticise or question doctors, and for the most part, that is only right. Doctors and medical professionals work extremely hard to treat us for all manner of ailments and, for their hard work, selfless approach to care, and their hard-earned qualifications, they deserve our respect.
Medical staff also face many day-to-day challenges that go unseen by the public eye. Administrative obstacles, hectic working conditions and a lack of resources are just a few of the things that make life as a doctor, nurse, surgeon or hospital porter so very difficult. It is little wonder that mistakes are made.
But it is vital that when procedures do display cracks and flaws in a medical environment, we do not fail to recognise and acknowledge it. When the actions – or lack of them – of medical staff leads to the pain and suffering of patients, it is important that the victims are identified and properly compensated.

Types of negligence claim

So wide is the scope of potential for harm to medical patients during their stay in NHS and private hospitals, there is an almost unending list of ailments that claims for compensation can be made for.
Many arise from a failure on the part of medical staff to ensure that a patient’s quarters are properly attended to, and that the patient is assisted and made as comfortable as possible. Pressure sores are one such problem, and spinal injuries are another.
Medical negligence can also lead to headaches, fractures, head injuries, eye injuries, lacerations – when any of these things happen, it is important to ask why and whether they could have been avoided.
When medical negligence leads to bereavement, there are various losses that may have been incurred and can thus be claimed for if appropriate. If the deceased incurred any financial loss such as loss of earnings while in hospital, this can be claimed for by the deceased’s estate, and if the death was caused directly by medical negligence, claims for pain and suffering, and also for funeral expenses, can be made.

Making a claim for medical negligence

Expert medical solicitors will be able to identify quickly any areas in which standards of clinical care have slipped. This way, valid claims can be pursued.