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Friday 6th October 2000
A 63 year old woman has won £345,000 at the
High Court after having both breasts removed
because of an incorrect diagnosis of cancer.
Jennifer Cormack had a double mastectomy
following the error by doctors at the Royal
London Hospital in Whitechapel. She also had
to have a full hysterectomy after problems
with tamoxifen. Mrs Cormack is planning to
report pathologist, Professor Sir Colin
Berry, to the General Medical Council.
17th October 2000
A 59 year old woman is suing Lanarkshire
Acute Hospitals NHS Trust for £350,000
because she claims she was left disabled by
doctors failing to spot that she had
suffered a brain haemorrhage. Isabella
Dougan has been left disabled by the alleged
mistake and is now largely confined to a
wheelchair. She claims that her injury was
due to the negligence of medical staff. She
says they just gave her some pills and sent
her home, but the hospital disputes
liability in the case
23rd September 2000
An investigation is launched following fears
that dozens of human embryos have gone
missing from two clinics in Hampshire. Up to
80 couples could have been affected. The
blunder was discovered when consultants
could not find some frozen embryos for a
woman who went for implantation. Health
secretary, Alan Milburn, has ordered a
report from the Chief Medical Officer and
inquiries are being held at North Hampshire
Hospital and at a private clinic nearby. It
is now feared that some women could have
given birth to other people’s children. The
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
denies that this is a possibility
18th September 2000
It’s claimed a one off payment of £100,000
to children who were brain damaged or
disabled following routine vaccinations is
not sufficient. The Association of the
British Pharmaceutical Industry says they
should be getting compensation more in line
with what would be awarded in the courts.
This would bump payments up to £1 million
pounds.
15th September 2000
Health Service Ombudsman, Sir Cecil
Clothier, claims a private inquiry into the
case of serial killer Dr Harold Shipman is
more likely to get to the truth. The GP was
convicted of fifteen murders and it is
suspected that he carried out two hundred
more.
August 2000
Cosmetic surgeon, David Herbert, has his
licence suspended by the General Medical
Council. The action was taken following a
large amount of complaints against him. The
GMC is currently reviewing the evidence.
August 2000
A quarter of struck-off doctors who have
applied to rejoin the medical register have
been allowed to return.
August 2000
Steve Harley is to have is tongue and voice
box removed after doctors missed the signs
of oral cancer despite 19 appointments. It
is believed the 41 year old from South
Yorkshire only has a fifty-fifty chance of
survival. He developed throat pains in July
1999 and was given antibiotics.
August 2000
A surgeon, sacked last month following
allegations he botched 84 operations and
caused 13 deaths, has been allowed back to
work on a temporary basis by the General
Medical Council. The GMC says the decision
is based on the fact that Christopher
Ingoldby’s technical capability is not in
question. Solicitors for the families are
taking the case to health secretary Alan
Milburn.
August 2000
The Department of Health’s first national
audit of hospital equipment found that more
than a third of life-saving machinery is
dangerously old. Most operating tables are
more than twenty years old and need to be
replaced. It has been estimated that £1.4
billion needs to be spent on updating
equipment.
July 2000
A North Yorkshire gynaecologist is found
guilty of a catalogue of blunders. The
General Medical Council was accused of not
being able to police itself properly after
allowing the doctor to practice in Britain
for 14 years despite being struck off in
Canada after the death of two patients.
June 2000
One in ten hospital admissions become even
more ill because of negligence according to
government figures. Estimates show 850,000
patients suffered adverse events after
hospital treatment.
June 2000
Cancer tests for more than 200 patients were
found to be incorrect. 10,000 patients at
hospitals in Swindon, Frimley and Bath had
their tests reviewed.
June 2000
A Commons Health Select Committee reports
that many private hospitals have few back-up
facilities and that poor regulations leave
patients ignorant about surgical risks they
face at the hands of staff who may not be
competent.
June 2000
New measures being brought in will mean that
incompetent doctors can be banned quickly
from practicing. The Government’s health
service reform plans will introduce a new
service to investigate complaints and speed
up the General Medical Council’s
disciplinary procedures.
April 2000
Extra money given to the health service in
this year’s budget could be wiped out by
soaring medical negligence claims. It is
believed the total now stands at claims
worth £3 billion.
March 2000
The British Medical Journal reveals that
30,000 people die every year as a result of
medical errors. The figure was arrived at by
extrapolating information in an American
survey. 100,000 die in the US every year
from surgical blunders.
March 2000
Graham Reeves, 70, has the wrong kidney
removed by surgeons at the Prince Philip
Hospital in Llanelli. His healthy kidney had
to be removed at Swansea’s Morriston
Hospital to try and save his life. He died
in Morriston’s intensive care unit.
March 2000
Ear, nose and throat surgeon, Julian Upton,
62, escapes disciplinary action by the
General Medical Council because he had been
allowed to resign from the medical register.
His work at Musgrove Park Hospital in
Taunton left more than 100 patients needing
further treatment.
February 2000
Former family doctor, Robert Dickson, 74, is
investigated over the deaths of two women.
February 2000
The General Medical Council strikes off Dr
Harold Shipman. The action was taken against
him for the “abhorrent and cold-blooded”
murders of 15 female patients.
The GMC heard that between 1995 and 1998 he
systematically killed his victims.
April 1998 – March 1999
Claims against Scotland’s 47 health trusts
rose from £13.5 million to £24.9 million.
1997
The Medical Defence Union pays out £77
million in compensation for medical
negligence.
1996
The Medical Defence Union pays out £41
million in compensation for medical
negligence.
1984 – 1995
Concerns raised about the quality of cardiac
surgery carried out on children at the
Bristol Royal Infirmary. During this period
the average death rate was 11%. A major
inquiry was held into two of the hospital’s
surgeons.
October 1998
A ten year old boy dies under general
anaesthetic at a Scottish dental clinic. |
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