The latest NHS England report has identified 15 hospital trusts in England where patient fatalities significantly exceed expectations, highlighting potential areas for further investigation.
The report, covering April 2023 to March 2024, shows that concerningly, some trusts experienced over 50% more deaths than anticipated.
The Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had the highest rate of excess deaths, with 53% more fatalities than expected. The trust has contested the accuracy of this data, attributing the discrepancy to issues with recording secondary diagnoses. Despite this, the report highlights broader concerns across several trusts.
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust recorded 32% and 24% more deaths than expected, respectively. Notably, County Durham and Darlington was also flagged in the previous year’s report, along with six other trusts, indicating ongoing issues.
According to reports, these elevated death rates are not definitive indicators of poor care but serve as “smoke alarms” that warrant further investigation. NHS England points out that various factors, including data recording errors, patient demographics, and case complexity, may contribute to these discrepancies.
Some trusts, such as Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, are actively reviewing their care and data practices. On the other hand, trusts like Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust recorded fewer deaths than expected, demonstrating variability in outcomes across the NHS.
Overall, the report underscores the need for accurate data recording and ongoing monitoring to ensure patient safety and quality of care throughout the NHS.
15 Hospital Trusts with ‘excess fatalities’ last year
- Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Country Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
- East Cheshire NHS Trust
- Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Medway NHS Foundation Trust
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
Medical negligence
If a loved one has passed away due to medical negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Our team of Medical Negligence specialist solicitors are happy to assist you with any enquiry or issue you might have. For your claim you will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish.
Types of medical negligence
Medical negligence occurs when a healthcare professional fails to provide the standard of care expected, resulting in harm to the patient. Here are several common types of medical negligence:
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Misdiagnosis: When a healthcare provider incorrectly identifies a patient’s condition, leading to inappropriate or ineffective treatment.
- Delayed Diagnosis: When a condition is identified later than it should be, potentially worsening the patient’s health or reducing treatment effectiveness.
Medication Errors
Surgical Errors
- Surgical Mistakes: Errors made during surgery, such as operating on the wrong site or leaving instruments inside the patient.
- Anesthesia Errors: Incorrect administration of anaesthesia, leading to complications.
Failure to Obtain Informed Consent
- Informed Consent: Patients must be fully informed about the risks, benefits, and alternatives to a procedure or treatment. Failure to provide this information can be considered negligence.
Errors in Diagnosis and Testing
- Failure to Order Tests: Not ordering necessary diagnostic tests or screenings.
- Misinterpretation of Results: Incorrectly interpreting diagnostic test results, leading to inappropriate treatment decisions.
Negligent Care
- Inadequate Treatment: Providing treatment that falls below accepted medical standards.
- Failure to Address Patient Concerns: Ignoring or dismissing patient symptoms or complaints that should be addressed.
Failure to Refer
- Referral Errors: Not referring a patient to a specialist when needed, leading to a delay in receiving appropriate care.
Birth Injuries
- Errors During Delivery: Mistakes made during childbirth that result in harm to the baby or mother, such as improper use of delivery tools or failure to address complications.
How to make a claim?
If you feel that you or a loved one has been affected as a result of medical negligence, then you may be entitled to bring about a compensation claim.
The team at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will be able to give you free advice on the prospects of your case and whether you would be eligible to make a claim.
Who can bring a claim?
The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim in their own right. However, it may also be the case that the victim has passed away as a result of the negligence or has suffered so severely that they are unable to bring about a claim as they no longer have the capacity.
In such circumstances, a claim can be brought about on their behalf either by an appropriate person or litigation friend if the victim is still with us or by the executor of the estate of the surviving dependant if the victim has passed.
Our specialist team will be able to discuss whether you have a right to bring about a claim so if you or a loved one has been affected do not hesitate to contact us.
How long do I have to make a claim?
Claims of this nature are subject to a three-year limitation period. This means that claims have to be commenced within the Courts within three years of rather the date the negligent act occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred.
In cases involving deceased victims, this limitation period commences from the date of death and in cases involving minors, the limitation period starts when they reach their 18th birthday.
The law surrounding limitation periods is complex. Our specialist team will be able to advise further. Please do not delay, contact our specialist team as soon as possible.
How much is my claim worth?
It is often difficult to value Negligence claims at their outset, given the complexities involved however we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:
General damages – An award of money for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence.
Special damages – An award for all of your out-of-pocket expenses such as travel expenses, medication costs, loss of earnings, and treatment costs both past and future.
This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific. Our specialist team will be able to advise further.
Why should I use Oakwood Solicitors Ltd?
We have a dedicated team of solicitors and paralegals who have many years of experience running cases of this nature. They are highly trained to deal with all aspects of clinical and medical negligence.
Oakwood Solicitors Ltd wishes to ensure that clients are not overwhelmed by legal jargon or medical terms that they don’t understand and aims to allow the claims procedure to be as transparent as possible.
Further reading
Medical misdiagnosis or delay – Oakwood Solicitors
A&E department claims – Oakwood Solicitors
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Get in touch today for a no-obligation consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9720 to find out how we can help you.
Jade Glover is a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence team. She has worked for the company for over 9 years and completed her training during that time. She has specialised in Personal Injury clai…
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