Claiming For A Never Event
A recent BBC investigation has found more than 750 hospital patients were exposed to a never event in England over the past four years.
What is a never event?
A never event is defined by the National Patient Safety Agency as a “serious, largely preventable patient safety incident that should not occur if the available preventative measures have been implemented.”
When the concept of a never event was first introduced to the UK in 2009, a list was compiled which named eight serious incidents that should not be allowed to happen in a healthcare environment.
The list has been amended and updated every year since, and now contains a total of 25 never events. Some of these include the misidentification of patients, severe scalding of patients and the intravenous administration of epidural medication.
Hospital patients are suffering never events
But despite the fact a never event should not ever occur in a hospital, a recent BBC investigation has highlighted that this is exactly what is happening. In fact, more than 750 hospital patients have suffered a never event in the past four years.
Of these, 322 had a foreign object left inside their body, 214 had surgery on the wrong part of the body, 73 had a feeding tube wrongly inserted into their lungs, and 58 had wrong implants or prostheses fitted.
Why do patients suffer never events?
The reason this happens is simply because medical professionals are not following the proper NHS guidelines. Indeed, all never events are preventable, just so long as the right measures are enforced.
These measures are clearly set out in guidelines written by organisations such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). All doctors and nurses should know and adhere to these guidelines, as this will eliminate any preventable mistakes occurring. Yet unfortunately some hospital medical professionals are failing to stick to do so, in turn putting patients at considerable risk.
Have you suffered a never event?
If you or your loved one has suffered a never event, you will understandably be very angry about it. After all, additional pain and suffering will have occurred for no good reason, and could have been avoided had doctors and nurses provided a reasonably competent standard of care.
However, there is action you can take, as you could be in a position to pursue a medical negligence claim. This is open to anyone who has been wrongfully harmed because of unacceptable levels of medical care. This will allow you to obtain compensation for the damage that has been caused. To find out more, contact a solicitor today.
Can We Help You With A Medical Negligence Enquiry?
Early legal assistance can be vital so please contact us if you would like to discuss your situation. Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
Make An Enquiry
Why Choose Us
- Specialist medical negligence solicitors
- Free initial enquiries
- No win, no fee available
Reviews
"I would like to say a big thank you to you for making this whole process easy and relatively painless. You kept me informed throughout and you were always polite and courteous in all forms of communication. I would not hesitate to recommend you to friends and family, so a really big thank you and I wish you all the best in the future."
Mr A.
Our Expertise
Helping Clients Across England & Wales
Free Medical Negligence Guide
'7 Questions You Must Ask Before Choosing A Medical Negligence Solicitor'