Although it's your healthcare provider's responsibility to be there for you throughout your illness or injury and make sure that no further harm comes to you, sadly there is always room for medical practitioners to make mistakes. This is especially true for healthcare provided by the NHS, which has recently made headlines for being deeper in debt to medical negligence claims than ever before.
As a patient, nobody wants to go through further pain, discomfort and stress, only to then face a lengthy legal battle with their healthcare provider when they should be resting and recovering at home. Whilst it's on the shoulders of those working in the healthcare industry to provide patients with the highest possible standard of care, it's important to be aware that medical errors have the potential to be made, particularly in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare environments where staff are stretched to working long shifts with scarce breaks.
By being more aware of their surroundings and understanding the early signs of potential medical malpractice, patients can make vital early changes to help prevent mistakes being made and the need for a claim.
Overworked, Tired Staff
A huge percentage of medical negligence claims UK, particularly within the NHS, are due to staff members making significant, yet human errors due to overwork and a lack of breaks. Much research has found that taking short breaks helps the brain to recover from working and enables us to work more productively and focused over the course of the day. If your doctor hasn't had a day off for weeks or your nurse is routinely working through all of her breaks and hasn't eaten or used the toilet, it can quickly become a recipe for disaster. Don't be afraid to inform somebody if you feel that your healthcare practitioner is making mistakes due to tiredness and overwork.
You're Not Responding to Treatment
There are several reasons why we may not respond to treatments given to us when sick or injured, and it's important to note that not all are the result of medical negligence UK. However, you should be wary if you are becoming concerned that your doctor has not considered an alternative treatment after your condition has not shown any signs of improvement for some time. Your eligibility for a claim will depend on how long you have gone without being offered an alternative treatment, and on any further health complaints that have arisen as a result. As a patient, you can help prevent the need for medical negligence solicitors to get involved by informing your doctor as early as possible about your concerns. A good doctor will always take their patient's concerns into consideration, but it's down to the patient to share them.
Your Concerns Aren't Being Heard
Have you mentioned your concerns regarding your treatment to your doctor or another healthcare professional, only for nothing to change? It's the duty of any committed healthcare professionals to listen and respond to any concerns put forward to them by their patients. As a patient, you can usually quickly tell whether or not a doctor or other healthcare practitioner is listening to what you have to say. If you don't feel that you are being taken seriously by your healthcare provider, or think that your biggest concerns are going ignored, this could be the beginning of serious medical negligence. Contact the best medical negligence solicitors to determine whether or not you already have a claim, then get a second professional opinion on your condition as soon as possible.
You've Had No Follow-Up Appointment
After receiving any new medication or undergoing any treatment for an illness or injury, your doctor or other healthcare practitioner should always arrange for you to come back and see them for a follow-up appointment. The purpose of this appointment is to ensure that you are recovering and healing correctly and to ensure that the treatment or medication given was right for you. If you have not been offered a follow-up appointment after receiving treatment, you could be put at risk of further complications or potential further health issues that could have been detected and prevented with a simple check-up. The best thing to do is contact your healthcare provider and arrange for a follow-up appointment straight away. If you have gone for a while without any further contact with your doctor since treatment, speak to medical negligence lawyers about any potential claim you may have.
Something Doesn't Feel Right
In certain circumstances, it may not be possible to tell straight away that you have been the victim of medical malpractice. This is often the case when the negligence has occurred recently, for example, an error during recent surgery or being switched to a different medication. However, if something feels 'off' about your whole healthcare experience, it may be worth looking into further. The Medical Negligence Experts offer a free patient claim line that you can use to get more information on your situation and gain valuable advice on whether or not you have a claim. Their friendly advisors will go over your healthcare experience with you and use the facts that you provide them with to determine your eligibility to pursue a claim in court.
Understanding the early signs and precursors of medical negligence puts patients in a position where they are able to play a part in preventing mistakes and errors with serious consequences. Remember that if you don't feel that you are getting the treatment you need from your healthcare provider, you have every right to make your concerns heard to them. Sometimes, simply speaking out early can help prevent a lengthy and stressful claim down the line.
The Facility Seems Understaffed
If you're currently in hospital or making regular visits to a healthcare facility for yourself or your family, look around and determine how well staffed it is. As discussed above, staff overwork and exhaustion are common factors in many medical malpractice cases today, which is often thanks to understaffed, stretched facilities. If your healthcare provider seems to be stretched to the limit each time you visit, this is definitely worth keeping an eye on, since understaffing can compromise treatments and put patients at a higher level of risk. However, bear in mind that pursuing a medical negligence lawsuit could help to improve the conditions for not just yourself, but also other patients and staff.
You're Seriously Considering a Second Opinion
Usually, patients don't start thinking about going after a second professional opinion unless they're pretty sure that something is up with the first one. Whilst it can be good to get a second opinion for peace of mind, if you want one because you're unsure whether or not to trust the diagnosis that you have, it could be because you know something isn't right. If you are actively looking for a second doctor to visit and discuss your condition or have been regularly advised to seek a second opinion by family and friends, this could be one of the early signs of a medical malpractice claim. If you do get a second opinion and it's totally different from the first one that you received, this is usually a sign that the first doctor wasn't doing their job correctly - especially if a third opinion agrees with the second.
