Most doctors want only the best care for their patients and when mistakes do occur, they will usually go unnoticed by the patient as they are so minor. There are unfortunately cases where those doctors trying to do their best end up making a mistake – after all, they are only human.

When things go wrong, it can be difficult for a patient to accept, most patients just want an explanation or apology, but it can be difficult to get this through the complicated legal system – and doctors are often defensive of their actions – no one likes to be accused of making a mistake, especially one as serious as medical negligence.

To win a medical negligence you must prove your doctor made a mistake and your injury is as a result of the mistake. Courts like to protect the health industry’s reputation and also try to avoid an influx of similar claims making it a lengthy and often stressful process to claim.

If you want to complain to the NHS you should firstly get hold of your medical records, you can do this through your GP. For a small charge you will be issued with your computer records but for manual records and letters from consultants you will be charged a larger fee. Once you’ve received your records, your next step is to go through the NHS complaints department – you can still claim for medical negligence if you are claiming through your local hospital or GP, in fact it makes your negligence claim even stronger. By making a formal complaint you may gain access to records that you previously may not have been able to get hold of and your complaint may result in admission of negligence.

When complaining it’s a good idea, as always, to go straight to the top. You should send a written, formal complaint to the hospital’s chief executive. Once the complaint has been processed, you will be given a ‘local resolution’ and if you aren’t happy with the final explanation you can request a reconsideration. If you feel the reconsideration still hasn’t help then you should contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) or Citizens Advice, who will direct towards a specialist medical negligence lawyer.

In most cases you have three years from the time the negligence took place to make your claim. It’s best to contact a specialist lawyer who has experience in cases similar to yours, the lawyer will be able to advise you on whether your claim is worth pursuing. Your lawyer will also be able to provide you a large amount of contacts including counselling services and government funding organisations.

If you think you have experienced NHS negligence either in a hospital or at your GP clinic, you shouldn’t be afraid to step forward and make a complaint, not only might you be entitled to compensation but you’ll also be helping the same mistakes from not occurring again by addressing them.

Going through with a medical negligence claim can be a difficult and traumatic process so you will need to ensure you have support through friends and family, and even outside help from counsellors if need be. Although the process is stressful and time-consuming, if successful, you will be financially securing your future.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe, specialist medical negligence solicitors who are experts in NHS negligence.

Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe (http://www.ph-medicalnegligence.co.uk), specialist medical negligence solicitors who are experts in NHS negligence.

Author Bio: Clair O\’Hara is writing on behalf of Pearson Hinchliffe, specialist medical negligence solicitors who are experts in NHS negligence.

Category: Advice
Keywords: medical negligence solicitors, medical negligence compensation, NHS negligence