Suing Hospital/Surgeon

FBaby

dramaqueen1973 wrote: »

Thank you so much for replies.....I honestly still cannot believe what's happened....it's horrifying to think if I had been left any longer, my kids and husband would be without me!

I just want them to realise and for someone else not to go hrough this...bad enough having life saving surgery, but living with a bag is worse!

Drama xx

In this case, write a complaint and request a full investigation. In all likelihood, they will be able to defend their practice. As already said, the perforation is a possible risk with gynae surgery and it might very well be that this is not something easily picked up soon afterwards and that doing so within 4 days is if not acceptable, no considered serious malpractice.

brook2jack

There are a couple of things to think about here and firstly is what do you want to achieve?

If it is to make sure other people do have more adaquate post operative care then the first thing is to contact Pals (patient advice and liason service number will be available via hospital) who will walk you through the complaints system. Litigation is always longwinded, expensive and contentious. Any changes as a result will not be immediate. The complaints system can be longwinded but should be first port of call if all you want to do is change things for everyone else.

If however you make enough fuss now, go through the hospital complaints proceedure, make sure the complaint goes high enough, make sure you have meetings with both clinical staff and the managerial staff who in the end balance the books and provide the cash for adaquate staffing you are more likely to bring about quicker change.

Not saying this is the case but often post op care is not good because management cut staffing to the bone so there isn't the time and expertise with junior staff covering without back up. Often it take people to complain to hospital managers so resources are directed in the right places.

Litigation will take hundreds of thousands out of the health care system. Any settlement you may get if sucessful will be about a quarter to a tenth of what the lawyers will get and even if there is no negligence it will cost the health service thousands and the staff involved an untold amount of stress and lost clinical time in hearings etc.as typically it will take months to years any changes to the hospital are not likely to come quickly. A factor to consider if you want to go down that route.

azzabazza

Hi

So sorry to read of your distress. You say in your post that reversal is to be July. The procedure has now been postponed for 5 weeks. Did you ask why they have postponed, given they must know the stress you are experiencing? i would hope it was a reasonable excuse.

VfM4meplse

I'm not going to comment on the litigation element but would say the sooner that you come to terms with the stoma, the better. It's far from ideal, but at least you're alive and have the support of your family. Once you learn to live with it, life will get better. Some stomas are created with the intention of reversing in the future, do you fall into this category?

Please try to focus on the positives.

ammonite

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I'm not going to comment on the litigation element but would say the sooner that you come to terms with the stoma, the better. It's far from ideal, but at least you're alive and have the support of your family. Once you learn to live with it, life will get better. Some stomas are created with the intention of reversing in the future, do you fall into this category?

Please try to focus on the positives.

The OP said she was waiting for a reversal so yes I suppose so.

I want to agree with this post above. My Uncle had a non-reversable colostomy and was understandably very upset about it until the blunt nurse basically said "it's either a bag or a box.....a box being your coffin as you would be dead without the bag" - it soon made him realise that although far from ideal he would have to adapt and at least he was still alive. I am really sorry you've had to go through this OP - maybe some support groups would help you?

dramaqueen1973

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ammonite

You are allowed to be angry! Apart from dying (obviously) it would be my worst nightmare as you have to plan everything around the stoma. Well done you for staying positive

FBaby

If you complain and it accepted that it is a SUI (serious untowards accident), they will need to investigate in a very strict way. They will also need to report the SUI to the PCT that commission the service who will also investigate how the SUI was managed, investigated, and the outcome. You could start by asking if they will report your case as an SUI and if not why not.

dramaqueen1973

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puppypants

What I would want to know is what were the nursing staff doing? Did you have your temp, BP, pulse etc taken regularly? Having been a nurse for 30 years until retirement, I would say that the nursing staff should have picked up that there was a problem from your obs and reported it to the doctor in charge of your case.

Sorry you have had to go through this, I nearly died from peritonitis following an investigative laparotomy when I was 21, I was sent home with peritonitis!!

Good luck X