Cancer Referral Delays and How to Claim Compensation
Next week organisations worldwide will recognise and mark World Cancer Day. This international event highlights the impact of this global disease on millions of lives, the lives of individuals and their friends and families, and the need for improvements in awareness, prevention, diagnosis and care.
Referral timing in cancer diagnosis
Time is of the essence in tackling this insidious disease and the earlier a patient achieves a diagnosis, the better their long-term outcome is likely to be. Delays in diagnosis mean delays in treatment. Delays in diagnosis may mean a deterioration in the severity of the individual's condition, experience and prognosis. Time delays can allow the disease to spread, threatening the patient's long-term health, well-being, quality of life and, indeed, their very survival.
UK guidelines identify the timeframe within which a patient with suspected cancer should expect a referral to specialist services and the timeframe within which they should expect to start treatment if a cancer diagnosis is confirmed.
Diagnosis delays and failings will inevitably slow down the process and may cause long-term problems which should not have been the case with the appropriate response by medical professionals within the appropriate timeframe.
- A failure by medical professionals to carry out an assessment or a failure to recognise the possible symptoms which might indicate a cancer diagnosis will delay treatment
- A failure to recognise the urgency of a patient's situation may delay diagnosis and referral
- A failure to refer a patient for specialist investigation and assessment will delay treatment
When to make a claim for compensation
The patient should be entitled to make a claim for compensation if delays in medical care have caused them to suffer a worse outcome than should have been the case with an appropriate level of care.
If you think that you or a loved one have suffered just such an experience, speak to a specialist medical negligence solicitor. They will be able to obtain copies of your medical records and investigate the quality of your care. With the input of the finest medical experts, they will be able to assess whether or not you have suffered from substandard care and whether it has affected your long-term outcome.
If this proves to be the case they will then assess the impact and its financial implications on your quality of life.
Glynns Solicitors
Contact Glynns today to speak with a specialist medical negligence solicitor, free of charge, about your experience and the possibility of making a claim for compensation.
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