Aid for victims of medical mistakes
THE NHS is under more pressure than ever. Ambulances form queues and patients line the corridors as the hard-pressed doctors struggle to find them a bed even before getting treatment. Accident and emergency units are perhaps worst hit and understaffing can lead to errors in treatment and missed diagnoses.
The Serious Injury Helpline, which takes on the fight for patients who have suffered, says there are five conditions with which mistakes are often made and urges vigilance, particularly during the busy months when the weather is still wet and cold, whether it’s you or a friend or family member in hospital.
SEPSIS
This is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive following an infection.
Early symptoms can include high temperature, shivering, rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing. More severe symptoms can be feeling dizzy or faint, confusion or disorientation, nausea and vomiting and diarrhoea.
Sepsis damages tissue and organs and, if not treated quickly, it can lead to organ failure and death.
SPINAL INJURY
Cauda equina syndrome, caused by compression of the spine, puts pressure on the nerves at the bottom of the spine, leading to bladder and bowel problems.
Although a medical emergency, it is often dismissed as back pain such as sciatica.
Surgery must take place within 48 hours to avoid permanent damage, which can include incontinence and other neurological and physical issues.
COMPARTMENT SYNDROME
This occurs when a compartment of muscles, blood vessels and nerves is put under restrictive pressure, preventing blood flow. It can lead to permanent muscle and nerve damage (and, in extreme cases, amputation) if not treated quickly.
It usually occurs suddenly as a result of a broken bone or a crush injury, burns that cause the skin to tighten, swelling after surgery to repair a blood vessel, a bandage or cast being applied too tightly or before swelling has stopped following an injury.
HEART ATTACK
Most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort often confused with indigestion, heartburn or a chest infection.
Doctors or nurses have to take real care when deciding that chest pain is not a heart attack, something that might mean sending a patient home.
A heart condition can be diagnosed with an electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests and a chest X-ray, echocardiogram and coronary angiography.
HIP FRACTURE
This can be caused by a fall, a history of long-distance running, or a sudden increase in physical activity.
Patients may only complain of vague hip, groin or knee pain but it can have a life-changing effect on mobility if untreated.
Inexperienced professionals can misread X-rays and a full diagnosis often requires a CT or MRI scan.
INFORMATION: The Serious Injury Helpline, a service provided by Birchall Blackburn Law, was created to help victims of medical negligence get the right support. Anyone who needs confidential advice or help in the aftermath of possible clinical negligence should call freephone 0800 230 0573.