A new enquiry into standards of NHS care, published on 13th July of this year, has revealed an appalling catalogue of failings, leading to poor patient outcomes and a high level of unnecessary deaths.
NCEPOD (The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death) undertook the study of 353 patients requiring non-invasive ventilation during February and March 2017 at the suggestion of the British Thoracic Society.
The most shocking finding of the report is that the death rate among patients receiving non-invasive ventilation in the UK is 34%, having been rising since 2011. According to The Observer newspaper, the parallel statistic in France is only 10%.
Non-invasive ventilation is a procedure where oxygen is given to a patient through a mask, rather than through a tube fed into the windpipe and is frequently used in patients suffering from disorders affecting their ability to breathe such as pneumonia.
The report identified the following substandard areas of medical provision:
• Supervision of care and patient monitoring were commonly inadequate
• Case selection for Non-Invasive Ventilation was often inappropriate
• Treatment was frequently delayed due to a combination of service organisation and a failure to recognise that NIV was needed
• The quality of medical care provided was often poor
• All aspects of assessment (of a patient’s response to NIV) were frequently poorly done or omitted entirely
• Organisations frequently did not audit their own practice
The report further made a series of recommendations regarding the need for a clinical lead for NIV, an operational policy as well as guidelines for administration of NIV and monitoring.
Medical Negligence
If you have been the victim of substandard medical care, you may be able to make a claim for compensation for your pain and injuries.
Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your situation with an experienced medical negligence solicitor.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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