Eva Hudson should have been able to feel she was in safe
hands when she was taken to A/E at Bournemouth
Hospital in December last
year. She had been rushed to the hospital with all the signs of kidney failure.
Tragically, an inexperienced doctor diagnosed a rare kind of infection and sent
her home.
She died four days later.
At her inquest in Bournemouth
last week the coroner found that neglect contributed to her death. This was a
straightforward and treatable condition and her tragic death was caused by the
doctors’ failure to recognise and treat the symptoms. The Hospital trust was also
at fault for placing this doctor in a position where life and death decisions
were being made without adequate supervision.
Her family should have a clear case against the trust for negligence.
But they will face hurdles. I cannot comment on this particular case but it
does bring a general injustice to mind.
Any claim against the NHS is effectively a claim against the
government. This is now a difficult exercise because another department of the
government has abolished Legal Aid for medical negligence cases in all but a
tiny minority of cases. So if a person is not wealthy what do they do? They may
find a solicitor who will pursue the case on a no win no fee basis – in the
face of heavy medial and political hostility. And even then the lawyer will
have to spend several thousand pounds to investigate the case. Or, as is most likely,
the case will never see the light of day.
These cuts will come into effect in April next year. How
many victims will be deprived of justice before this is changed?
We have seen hundreds of billions of pounds spent on bailing
out a banking industry which shows no sign of changing its ways. The legal aid
cuts amount to £350m. Interestingly the Foreign Office has recently tendered
that amount for a new desk top overhaul!
The value of justice?
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