NHS hospital pays £20,000 to a daughter for her late mother’s preventable fall
An NHS trust has paid £20,000 in damages to the daughter of a patient who had an unsupervised fall in hospital.
The patient was admitted to Luton & Dunstable University Hospital in September 2022 with dizzy spells, blocked ears and chest pain. She was identified as having a high risk of falling, so mitigating interventions were put in place.
On the third day of her admission, the patient had her first unwitnessed fall, with no reported harm or injuries. After this, she was moved into bay watch, a ward where patients are observed at all times.
Failure to supervise 24/7
Despite being on a supervised ward, the patient had another unwitnessed fall six days later while the allocated healthcare assistant was involved in handover. The patient was found on the floor next to her bed, lying on her side. She complained of pain in her left leg and there was a large bruise on her forehead.
A CT scan found a fractured left neck of femur, so the patient had surgery to repair the fracture. A month later, she was discharged from hospital to a step-down bed in the community.
The patient sadly passed away a month after discharge. A fractured neck of femur is listed as one of the secondary causes of death. A serious investigation report also stated that the fall was potentially preventable.
Hospital pays £20,000 damages
The patient’s daughter instructed Attwaters Solicitors to act on her behalf. We investigated the case and identified a number of instances of negligent care. For example, the hospital failed to supervise the patient at all times and did not adequately train staff on the requirements of the bay watch.
The hospital issued a formal apology, and Attwaters helped the patient’s daughter to negotiate a settlement of £20,000.
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If you or a family member has experienced substandard care from the NHS or a private practice, our reliable Medical Negligence team can support you. Contact us for an initial discussion on 0330 221 8855 or email enquiries@attwaters.co.uk
