Over the past decade, the newspapers have been filled with stories of clinical negligence. Rather than seeing the situation improve however, it seems that the situation has worsened. With reports of whole wards left filthy, and carers of adults with learning difficulties doing anything but, many are beginning to lose faith in the professionalism and staff monitoring that occurs within the NHS.
Medical care in the modern age
In a media age, the world can now look on with disgust, as not only do we read about these horrific cases but we can see them on media websites such as YouTube. Videos and photographs of clinical negligence are overflowing the internet, and yet for the families of these victims, it seems that little, if anything is being done by the NHS or the police to stop these types of crimes.
The NHS was developed in order to protect the public from disease and illness and ensure that everyone, regardless of class, race, or background, could enjoy the luxury of free health care, be that for physical or mental problems.
However recent rises in clinical negligence claims suggest that ‘care’ is the direct contrast to what these people are receiving. Despite heavy press coverage into the Winterbourne View scandal, in which 11 employees of the private care home admitted clinical negligence and abuse of patients, there have once more been claims of both clinical negligence and abuse within the NHS.
NHS negligence
In the last decade the NHS has paid out over £3.1billion to mothers and their children due to errors caused by maternity staff. Similarly, around £116 million has been paid out for clinical and social care errors in the last 5 years. Despite this, it is claimed that over £136million more still needs to be paid out to active negligence claims that are still in the system.
Charities and foundations have been set up to help these claims go through the system faster and to protect those making the claims, sometimes referred to as ‘whistle-blowers’, however many people are asking, what are the NHS doing to speed up to process? Or better yet, what are they doing to stop clinical negligence?
Unfortunately for many individuals, the costs of medical negligence claims are too high, and so they are forced to turn to different practices, further away from their homes, simply because they can’t afford to fight a company as big as the NHS. Despite this, there are many websites and charities created to help those who are not financially able to take on the NHS by themselves.
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