Clinical negligence claims can arise from a number of different types of clinical errors and omissions in a hospital and primary care setting. The most common types of clinical negligence claims are:-
1. Misdiagnosis or Delayed Diagnosis
- Misdiagnosis: Incorrectly diagnosing or inadequately investigating a patient’s condition which can lead to inappropriate or delayed treatment.
- Delayed Diagnosis: Failure to diagnose or investigate a condition in a timely manner which may allow the illness to progress beyond the point it can be treated.
2. Surgical Errors
- Wrong Site Surgery: Operating on the wrong body part. It happens more often than you might expect!
- Retained Surgical Instruments: Leaving surgical tools or sponges inside the patient. Again, this happens more than you would expect!
- Surgical Complications: Errors during surgery that lead to unforeseen consequences.
3. Medication Errors
- Incorrect Medication: Prescribing or administering the wrong drug.
- Dosage Errors: Giving the wrong dose, either too much or too little.
- Failure to Check for Allergies or Interactions: Not adequately screening a patient for allergies or possible drug interactions.
4. Birth Injuries
- Inadequate Monitoring: Failing to monitor the mother or fetus properly during pregnancy and labour.
- Improper Use of Delivery Instruments: Misuse of forceps or vacuum extractors causing harm to the mother or baby.
5. Anaesthesia Errors
- Incorrect Dosing: Administering the wrong amount of anaesthesia or indeed the wrong type.
- Monitoring Failures: Failing to monitor the patient adequately during surgery, leading to adverse reactions or heightened awareness during surgery.
6. Inadequate Treatment or Follow-Up
- Failure to Treat: Not providing the appropriate or necessary treatment for a correctly diagnosed condition.
- Poor Follow-Up Care: Inadequate follow-up after treatment or surgery leading to complications or ignoring unexplained outcomes after surgery.
7. Infection Control Failures
- Hospital-Acquired Infections: Infections contracted during a hospital stay due to poor hygiene practices.
- Surgical Site Infections: Infections at the site of surgery due to inadequate sterilization.
8. Errors in Medical Documentation
- Incorrect Records: Errors in adding information to patient records that can lead to incorrect treatment being given.
- Failure to Record Information: Omitting critical patient information from medical records.
9. Consent Issues
- Lack of Informed Consent: Failing to fully inform the patient about the risks and alternatives of a procedure and so obtaining inadequate consent from the patient.
- Procedures Without Consent: Performing procedures without the patient’s consent.
10. Accident & Emergency Errors
- Triage Errors: Failing to correctly prioritize a patient, leading to delayed treatment for serious conditions requiring urgent intervention.
- Treatment Delays: Delays in providing necessary emergency care.
Understanding the common causes of clinical negligence claims can inform healthcare providers and the hospital and surgery management to review all their practices and thereby improve their procedures which can significantly reduce the risk of patient harm.
Addressing these issues through better training, improved protocols, and rigorous adherence to standards of care is essential for reducing the instances of clinical negligence and thereby improving overall patient safety.
To discuss your case with a member of our dedicated team, call us today on 0800 988 8082 or complete our online enquiry form and we will get back to you right away.
