'Never Event' Medical Negligence and Claiming Compensation
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a medical 'never event', it may be possible to make a claim for compensation for the impact of that negligence.
What are 'never events' in medical care?
If you have been the victim of a medical 'never event', you have, by definition, been impacted by negligent medical care. A 'never event' in the course of medical care is not supposed to happen.
In the words of the NHS, 'Never Events are serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if healthcare providers have implemented existing national guidance or safety recommendations'.
Examples of never events include the following:
- Surgery being carried out to the incorrect site such as the wrong eye, the wrong knee or the wrong part of the anatomy
- A procedure being carried out on the wrong patient
- Leaving a foreign object inside a patient following a surgical procedure, such as a swab, guide wire, dressing or surgical instrument
- Using an incorrect implant or prosthesis during a procedure
- The incorrect administration of medication such as using the wrong dose or using the wrong administration method
Astonishingly, during the twelve-month period from April 2022 to March 2023 almost 400 never events occurred across the NHS in England, including 169 related to wrong site surgery.
When to claim compensation
Some never events in medical healthcare may have minimal impact beyond inconvenience or distress. Others may have a life-changing impact on the patient. Where the consequences of a never event have had a significant impact on the patient, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
For example, if wrong site surgery or a retained object following surgery have left the patient unable to work or restricted in the hours or nature of employment which they can carry out, it may be possible to claim compensation for the loss of income as well as the pain and suffering experienced by the patient.
Speak to a legal expert
If you or a loved one have been affected significantly by a medical 'never event', contact a specialist solicitor to discuss the possibility of making a claim for compensation. They will be able to obtain your medical records and carry out an investigation into the quality of your medical care.
Glynns Solicitors are experts in this complex field of law. Contact us today to speak with a specialist solicitor about the possibility of making a claim for compensation.
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