The timing of the Medical Protection Society survey (click here to see the MPS article) coincides with ‘Black Wednesday’ – the day when newly qualified doctors start on hospital wards. The name has arisen from anecdotal concerns about poor levels of care, mistakes and an increased fatality rate as newly qualified doctors get to grips with their role and responsibilities. Of course starting somewhere new is always going to be difficult for everyone so it is unfair to criticise junior doctors but it is concerning that they often do not appear to be given the support they need in the early days, meaning patient safety might be jeopardised.
The survey also raises wider issues about patient safety, beyond the care provided by junior doctors. For example, 51% of Foundation Year 1 doctors said they had concerns about the quality of care in their workplace. This is a staggering number.
The survey also reflects the underlying cause of many clinical negligence cases: lack of time and lack of staff. 71% of Foundation Year 1 doctors said they did not have enough time to give patients the care they require and 39% said having more doctors on the ward would increase job satisfaction (presumably meaning their concerns about patient care would be alleviated).
Many of the clinical negligence cases Anthony Collins Solicitors investigate arise from the simple problem of hospital management not providing enough staff. Our clients often praise most of the doctors and nurses they came across but have concerns that there simply were not enough doctors or nurses available to actually provide the care and treatment they needed. Our solicitors aim to investigate the underlying reasons for poor care, rather than criticise individual doctors and nurses, who we recognise are often overworked and trying their best in very difficult circumstances.
If you have any queries about this article or would like to know more about a potential clinical negligence claim, please contact Ann Houghton on 0121 212 7478 or ann.houghton@anthonycollins.com.
Anthony Collins Solicitors have a dedicated specialist clinical negligence team, with Legal 500 and Chambers UK Guide recommending Anthony Collins Solicitors as one of the leading law firms in Clinical Negligence in the West Midlands.
The use of large up-front fees and disproportionate deposits has already resulted in significant cost consequences for one care provider.
The government announced on 16 May that it will provide a fund of £400m to cover the costs of removal and replacement of cladding to high rise residential blocks which have failed tests.
Whilst some people are under the impression that preparing a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is simply a case of completing a form and ticking a few boxes, it is about far more than this.
A big fear for some people facing divorce and the inevitable carving up of the matrimonial assets. They seek assurances that such assets will be “ring-fenced” and retained for them.
Thinking about the legal status of being a cohabitant probably isn’t at the top of the ‘to do’ list.
When an individual is thinking about making a gift to another individual, consideration needs to be given to the Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET) trap.
We are now only a few weeks away from the biggest change to data protection laws in over 20 years. Are you compliant?
The tragedy, in this case, is that there were options readily available to the midwives that they could have used. This was not a case of having to go above and beyond.
Arising from the recent Family Division announcement, people who think they are legally divorced may in fact still be married.
The SCCS has issued providers in the scheme a series of updated and new documents in order to assist with their National Minimum Wage review.
To receive invitations to our events, as well as information and articles on legal issues and sector developments that are of interest to you, please sign up to Newsroom.