During the process of Mrs H's health decline and due to her increased immobility, she went on to develop pressure sores/bed sores both on her heels and sacrum on two occasions, firstly whilst she was being cared for at home and also when she had been placed in residential care.
Due to the nature of the issue, the care staff on both occasions correctly contacted the local District Nursing team to attend to Mrs H's bedsores. Unfortunately the local District Nursing team were negligent in that they failed to appropriately treat the bedsores. The sores were therefore left to develop from what is considered to be relatively minor up to a Grade 4, which is in fact the worse possible grading for such sores. Some of Mrs H's sores were also classified as Ungradable.
The District Nursing team failed in the most basic of tasks including not attending upon Mrs H within a timely manner from the time the referral was made, there was a failure to produce a care plan in relation to the sores, a failure to make appropriate skin checks, a failure to attend upon Mrs H on sufficient occasions, a failure to apply appropriate dressings/creams, a failure to order and provide appropriate pressure reliving equipment including cushions/mattresses etc.
Mrs H was admitted to hospital as a result of the severity of her bedsores and as a result of her health decline generally. Upon admission to hospital it was decided that she would require nursing care for the remainder of her life. Mrs H is now entirely bedbound and the severity of her bedsores have contributed significantly to this as she still today struggles to sit for any length of time due to the pain that this causes.
Mrs H was successful in her claim for compensation against the local District Nursing service and was awarded £30,000.00 for her injuries.
If you, or a member of your family have been affected by medical or care home negligence, please contact us on 0161 665 3502 to discuss your potential claim further.
