Incorrect Medication Dose – Medical Negligence

Sara Montgomery from our Medical Negligence Team shares a recently settled case involving a prescription dispensing error.

Our Client was prescribed Clonidine 25mcg tablets, two to be taken twice daily amounting to a total of 100mcg per day. This advice was provided by her GP.

The Claimant collected the prescription from the Defendant establishment and began to take the medication as instructed by her GP on the same date. The Claimant began suffering with symptoms of headaches, sharp rib pain and heart palpitations. These symptoms worsened over the following days to include dizziness, nausea, slurred speech and radiating pain up to her shoulder.

Our Client checked her prescription and noted that she had been dispensed Clonidine 100mcg, she had been taking an overdose of 400mcg per day and the prescription label date was incorrect.

She attended hospital twice for monitoring and underwent an anticoagulation injection in the event of a pulmonary embolism. Within one week the Claimant made a full recovery.

The Defendant made an early admission of liability and the matter quickly settled, with agreement to pay the Claimant’s damages of £1,200.00.

What counts as a prescription or medication error?

There are a number of reasons why medication or prescription errors occur and errors are made on the part of both the prescribing doctor and the dispensing pharmacist:

Doctor Error

Errors on behalf of the doctors generally include:

• Prescribing the incorrect medication for the condition the patient is suffering from.
• Prescribing the incorrect dose of medication.
• Prescribing medication that interacts with other medications the patient is taking.
• Prescribing medication that affects the patient’s other underlying medical conditions.
• Prescribing medications that the patient is allergic to.

Pharmacist Error

Errors on behalf of the pharmacists generally include:

• Dispensing the incorrect medication to that which has been prescribed.
• Dispensing the incorrect dose of medication.
• Dispensing medication to the incorrect patient.

Full details about prescription and medication errors can be found here on our website.

Further reading

Medical Negligence Team – Case Studies Showcase – Oakwood Solicitors

Patient Safety – National Pharmacy Association

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