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A survey shows that other healthcare facilities have also removed patients' limbs due to medical negligence
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that six patients had their limbs amputated due to medical errors over a threeyear period the highest number admitted by any other patient in the country's National Health Service trust network.
The trust carried out four of the amputations in 2020 and two more in 2021, all due to medical negligence. However, they weren't the only ones. The claims brought by Accident Claims showed that other hospitals across the UK had wrongfully carried out lifechanging amputations on their patients over the past three years.
These types of incidents are referred to by the NHS as “never events” and are defined as “serious and largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if healthcare providers had implemented existing national guidance or safety advice.”
A further five cases of amputations due to medical negligence were confirmed at Medway NHS Foundation Trust in Kent. One amputation was performed in 2021, another three in 2022 and another in 2023.
“The loss of a limb is lifechanging and can have devastating consequences for patients and their families. In addition to the obvious emotional impact, injuries can have a greater financial impact than many families can bear, particularly in the current cost of living crisis where many are already struggling to make ends meet,” says Nick Banks, Head of Clinical Negligence at JF Law and owner of the Accident Claims brand.