It has been released recently that NHS hospitals could face financial penalties if a patient is readmitted as an emergency within thirty days of leaving hospital. These changes have been unveiled by the new Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley. Hospitals will receive payment for initial treatment but not for any related problems if the patient is brought back within 30 days, sources from the BBC have confirmed ( source). This seems to be in an attempt to stop patients from being released from hospital early in an attempt to free beds, as figures show that between 1998 – 99 and 2007 – 08 readmissions increased from 359,719 to 546.354.
If you have ever felt that you have been negligently treated by an NHS hospital, you could potentially have a claim for compensation. Depending on the circumstances of the incident, you may be entitled to claim for an amount for any suffering caused by a hospitals negligence. Hospitals have certain procedures that are in place to ensure that the patient is given adequate care and treatment. If something has happened to you because a member of the NHS hasn’t completed their job properly, they are negligent, and you are within your rights to pursue a claim against them.
The NHS has a complaints procedure that can be found on their website if you feel that you weren’t cared for correctly. It is probably best to make a complaint directly with the NHS first as then there will be a record of the situation for the NHS to investigate if you choose to make your claim for compensation.
Try to record all the facts of the incident in your own words; if anyone else such as a family member witnessed the incident, also ask them to record what happened in their own words. These statements can then be relied upon when placing a claim for compensation.
Try to record any expenses that you have incurred as a result of the incident and save the receipts. You can claim for expenses such as prescription fees, telephone calls, correspondence costs etc. The idea of making a claim for compensation is to ensure you are in the same financial position you were in before the incident.
If you are unsure about making a claim for compensation, try speaking to an independent firm of Personal Injury Solicitors. They will be able to provide you with the adequate advice on making a claim and will be also advise you of if they think you have a successful claim. The benefits of speaking with an independent firm of solicitors are that they won’t be tied to any insurance companies, whose aim is usually to settle your claim as soon as possible without proper work carried out.
