Dronfield Online - July 2011

By James Drydale, a clinical negligence specialist at leading local solicitors, Taylor&Emmet LLP. James deals with a full range of cases and helps people suffering from medical errors such as delayed diagnosis of cancer, birth injuries, orthopaedic injuries and surgical mistakes. In this month’s column he looks at the debilitating and often avoidable effects of pressure sores.

Pressure sores (or pressure ulcers) are an underestimated health problem in the UK and occur all too often, even though they are preventable. 

No one expects to suffer from these incredibly nasty injuries when they go into hospital or residential care, but sadly when someone is immobile or unconscious the flow of blood is affected, which can cause the skin to break down leading to the formation of a sore.

Sources suggest that around one in 20 people who are admitted to hospital with a sudden illness will develop a pressure sore and patients over 70 years old are most at risk. They occur in the hips, buttocks, at the base of the spine, heels, ankles and shoulders and in the worst cases, cause destruction of the skin, fat and muscle so that bones are exposed. They can even lead to life threatening complications such as infection, blood poisoning or gangrene.

Some pressure sores never heal properly and can really affect a patient’s independence, as they require regular dressing and pain relief for a great length of time. 

Patients often feel helpless when dealing with a large health trust that may not want to handle complaints properly, no matter how genuine they are. My team at Taylor&Emmet can help pursue issues regarding pressure sores and seek fair compensation on your behalf.

I have recently brought a case of this nature to an excellent conclusion for a client who went into hospital for a hip replacement in November 2008. She was admitted for 11 days and whilst recuperating, developed pain and discomfort in her heels. Despite asking the staff on duty to take a look, no proper action was taken.

Blisters were eventually noticed on my client’s heels seven days after surgery, but no adequate intervention was taken to stop the sores getting worse. We obtained expert evidence that proved the appropriate risk assessment had not been carried out by hospital staff and the guidelines laid down by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence were not followed.  
Sadly, my client suffered serious pressure sores that would not have developed had she received adequate care. She was attended by a district nurse following her discharge from hospital and had to reside with her son for many months. Two years on, the pressure sores had still not properly healed.

We wrote a Letter of Claim to the hospital trust’s representatives, the NHS Litigation Authority, on behalf of our client. They initially denied the failings, but after further negotiation an admission of liability was made and a settlement of £35,000 agreed.

Our client can now celebrate her 90th birthday knowing her case was resolved satisfactorily and that the funds she received are allowing her to live more comfortably. 

All medical practitioners have a duty of care and if they fail to meet this duty, patients may be injured, sometimes permanently. Pressure sores can be very difficult to treat, but regularly changing a patient’s position should be order of the day. Specially designed mattresses and cushions can protect vulnerable parts of the body, whilst dressings and gels can be used to help speed up the healing process if ulcers occur.