It seems a regular feature in the news these days, cases of misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis in hospitals around our country. If we take the period of the last twelve months, in Kerry General Hospital 114 patients were recalled for repeat scans. The number of patients that suffered a delayed diagnosis of cancer were 9 people. The failure to correctly diagnosis these patients with cancer related to the work of just one radiologist.
In Wexford General Hospital on a review of 615 colonoscopies, 400 patients were recalled for a repeat colonoscopy. It was revealed that 13 patients were misdiagnosed with cancers due to the work of one consultant.
In Roscommon 49 families received an apology from the HSE due to serious failings in audiology services provided to their children. Again this was due to the work of one audiologist.
The cervical check controversy is another frightening example of the shortfalls in our health service. The 221 women affected by the misdiagnosis scandal had their screenings misread by one laboratory in the USA.
The government is working to establish alternatives to the Court process and this is welcome news for those who have suffered as a result of failures by the health profession. It is hoped that an alternative process would resolve these types of cases in a more sensitive and timely manner.
We understand how difficult it can be to get honest answers from the medical profession when something goes wrong. The HSE has been accused many times of having a “deny and defend” policy in these types of cases. When you suffer due to a medical error or failure to act you are entitled to know what went wrong, how and why. The answers to these questions are rarely ever given voluntarily and require the intervention of a solicitor on your behalf. If you have been impacted by the negligence of a medical professional please contact us so that we can help you get the answers you deserve.
