A man in his mid-60s died following a prolonged illness in which he developed severe pressure sores during hospital care. His family has resolved a medical negligence claim against the NHS trust responsible for his treatment.
Timeline of events
In the summer of 2022, Robert was admitted to hospital after a fall at home. He had several underlying health conditions, including diabetes and significantly reduced mobility, which placed him at high risk of developing pressure sores.
Despite these clear risk factors, appropriate preventative measures were not implemented early in his admission. In the days that followed, there were missed opportunities to properly assess his risk, monitor his skin condition and provide the level of care required to protect him from harm.
Due to the failings in care, signs of skin damage began to emerge. These were not managed effectively and his condition gradually worsened.
Following a transfer to another hospital, multiple pressure sores were identified. Although treatment was started, the injuries already developed and continued to progress.
Later in the summer, Robert was readmitted to hospital. By this stage, he had developed severe pressure damage in multiple areas. There were further delays in specialist review and inconsistencies in basic care, including repositioning and pressure relief.
Over the following months, Robert’s condition deteriorated significantly. His pressure sores progressed into deep, severe wounds which became infected. He experienced increasing pain, reduced mobility and considerable distress, with a marked impact on his quality of life.
How we helped with Robert’s medical negligence claim
Robert’s family sought legal advice following concerns about the care he received. Independent expert evidence and a detailed review of his medical records identified several failings, including delays in risk assessment, inadequate implementation of care plans and inconsistent monitoring of his condition.
It was concluded that with appropriate and timely care, Robert’s pressure sores could have been avoided or reduced in severity. Instead, he experienced a prolonged period of avoidable pain, suffering and loss of dignity in his final months.
Proceedings were issued against the NHS trust responsible for his care. The case was ultimately resolved by agreement between the parties.
The resolution provides Robert’s family with recognition of the failings in his care and the impact these had on his final months.
A note from Ikhira Thandi
“Robert’s case highlights the importance of consistent, fundamental nursing care, particularly for patients who are most vulnerable. Pressure sores are often preventable when risks are identified early, and appropriate measures are put in place and maintained. In this case, those opportunities were missed, with devastating consequences for Robert and his family.”
“We are privileged to have supported his family through this process and achieved a resolution that acknowledges what went wrong in his care.”
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