Claims made against NHS after Surgical Instruments Left inside Patients
16/04/2007
Claims against NHS on the rise
I would like to thank you again for the speedy and sensitive way in which you have dealt with this matter. I would have no hesitation in recommending your firm to anyone in the future.
Pamela, CastlefordAlmost two patients a week are affected by surgeons leaving instruments inside their bodies following surgery.
Claims against NHS trusts
Since 2004, 283 claims have been made against NHS Trusts after surgical instruments or other foreign bodies were left inside patient's bodies.
The health service has paid over £4 million in compensation for such cases and figures from the NHS Litigation Authority for 2005-2006 show that the cost of clinical negligence in England was £560 million.
Peter Walsh of Action Against Medical Accidents believes that there are probably more incidents of this nature but as people do not take legal action, we do not find out about them.
Implements which have been found inside patients include swabs, a catheter and cutting instruments.
Medical accidents in England
Figures from The Department of Health show that there are 850,000 medical accidents in English hospitals alone each year, half of which could have been avoided.
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