LEGAL SERVICES FOR YOU April 2024 | AshtonsLegal.co.uk
Medical Negligence News
Inquest into the death of Christopher Sidle
The inquest into the death of 51-year-old Christopher Sidle, from North Walsham, concluded on 22 March 2024 in Norwich in front of Norfolk’s Senior Coroner, Jacqueline Lake. Ashtons Legal are representing the family.
Mr Sidle died on 4 July 2023 as a result of injuries sustained when throwing himself from a moving car three days earlier. At the time of the incident, he had been suffering from a period of psychosis for over three months.
Mr Sidle had worked for the government as a climate change officer before experiencing his first episode of psychosis in December 2011. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia but, with medication, recovered fully and was discharged from mental health services. He experienced a second episode of psychosis in 2014, when a further diagnosis of acute psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia was made. Following the introduction of medication and an in-patient stay, he again recovered well and was discharged home.
Mr Sidle then suffered a relapse in March 2023, the cause of which remains unclear.
An internal investigation conducted by the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust has concluded that there were multiple missed opportunities in Christopher’s contact with their services and that these were contributory factors to the incident that occurred on 1 July 2023.
Settlement for the family of a woman who died after delayed treatment led to sepsis
Amanda Cavanagh has achieved a six-figure settlement for the family of Mrs X, who died following a hospital’s 53-hour delay in identifying and treating an infected leg ulcer which developed into sepsis.
Mrs X was already receiving antibiotic treatment for the leg ulcer, which was not effective. On admission to A&E, her blood results suggested that an inflammatory process was happening, but this was not investigated further.
On several occasions, the hospital records note that Mrs X’s condition was likely due to an infection, but the various treating departments within the hospital failed to consult each other to determine the correct treatment plan and medication.
The hospital admitted that it failed to consult with its internal departments and, as a result, failed to transfer Mrs X to Intensive Care despite there being a plan to do so. However, the hospital alleged that even with earlier treatment, Mrs X would not have survived. The expert evidence obtained by Mrs X’s family refuted this allegation, and a settlement was agreed between the parties.
A Holistic Approach to Rehabilitation
At Ashtons Legal, we understand the profound impact medical negligence can have on individuals and their families. Our Client Rehabilitation Service is dedicated to supporting clients who have endured serious illness or injury, ensuring timely access to rehabilitation and treatment to optimise their recovery and overall wellbeing.
Penny Tilmouth, an experienced solicitor within the Clinical Negligence team at Ashtons, has been instructed by Client A in connection with a claim concerning the admitted negligent delivery of chemotherapy treatment. Referring Client A to our Client Rehabilitation Service, Penny ensured the effective coordination of his post-injury treatment and rehabilitation.
This case study looks at the influence of the Client Rehabilitation Service on the experience of Client A, a gentleman in his 70s.
Recognising the importance of a holistic approach, Amy who is a registered Occupational Therapist, assessed both the client’s needs and the wellbeing of his wife, the primary caregiver.
Settlement awarded to family of much-loved mother who died due to a catalogue of failures
The family of Ms N have been awarded compensation as a result of the series of failures which led to her tragic death.
Ms N had been admitted to the hospital, complaining of stomach pain and discomfort. She underwent a CT scan, which was misreported by the radiologist, resulting in Ms N receiving the incorrect treatment.
IAs a direct consequence, Ms N’s underlying condition was not appropriately treated, and she sadly deteriorated over a number of months.
By the time the error in the reporting of the CT scan was noticed, Ms N’s condition was so poor she was severely malnourished, developed hospital-acquired pneumonia, and sadly passed away.
Ruth Houghton, Medical Negligence specialist at Ashtons Legal, says: “This was a very sad case in which there had been numerous failures by the treating healthcare professionals to either correctly diagnose the deceased or reconsider a diagnosis and treatment plan. Ms N’s death was completely avoidable, and had she been afforded the care she should have been, she would not have died. This is something her family will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The compensation awarded does not in any way reflect their grief; it is simply a small token of justice for the loss of much-loved mum and grandmother.”
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Increase in Coroner Prevention of Future Death (PFD) reports
It was recently reported by the BBC that there has been an increase in Prevention of Future Death (PFD) reports being sent by Coroners to health bodies and the Government.
PFD reports are issued by a Coroner following an Inquest when there is evidence that further avoidable deaths could occur if preventative action is not taken. PFD reports highlight issues such as long waiting lists, lack of resources or staff shortages as impacting care.
The BBC reports that PFD reports rose to 109 in 2023, compared with substantially lower figures from previous years (62 in 2022, 45 in 2021, and 37 in 2020).
The “No More Deaths” campaign is pushing for a National Oversight Mechanism to ensure transparency, responsibility and accountability for recommendations raised in Inquests and PFDs.
Six-figure settlement for failure to diagnose and treat tetanus infection
Amanda Cavanagh achieved a six-figure settlement for Mr X regarding the death of his wife after the hospital’s failure to diagnose and treat tetanus infection.
Tetanus is a life-threatening disease, although it has become rare due to the rollout of tetanus vaccines over the last 40 years or so. However, certain generations may not have had the vaccine, or vaccination occurred so long ago that the efficacy of the immunisation has diminished.
Prior to her passing, Mrs X enjoyed gardening. She sustained a scratch to her leg from a garden cane which despite cleaning became infected. A few days after seeking advice at the out-of-hours GP, Mrs X awoke with symptoms of struggling to breathe, her jaw had locked and she was experiencing stiffness in her back and shoulders, all of which are strong indicators of a tetanus infection.
Mrs X attended A&E at the hospital on three separate occasions over the following 12 days or so, she was given painkillers and muscle relaxants and was sent home. The family’s repeated questions about whether this could be tetanus were dismissed by her GP, paramedics, and the hospital. Mrs X’s condition deteriorated, and eventually, she was admitted to another hospital and transferred immediately to the ICU with a suspected tetanus infection. She suffered multiple cardiac arrests while in ICU and sadly passed away.
The hospital admitted failure to consider tetanus as a possible diagnosis but alleged that earlier treatment would not have made any material difference to the outcome. This was rebutted by Mr X’s expert evidence and settlement was achieved between the parties.
Aside from the injury services we offer, please remember that Ashtons Legal offers a full range of both individual and business services to assist in any situation. https://www.ashtonslegal.co.uk/
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