Pregnant woman injected with cleaning fluid by NHS

A BRITISH hospital that gave a woman anaesthetic contaminated with cleaning fluid as she gave birth is likely to face a multimillion-pound legal action. Angelique Sutcliffe, 47, was left paralysed after being injected in the spine with the fluid before her daughter Abigail's birth in January 2001. The anaesthetic was contaminated with chlorhexidine, which is used to clean patients before surgery. Following a caesarian, Mrs Sutcliffe went into a convulsion. She also suffered neurological damage. The incident caused a rare condition called chronic adhesive arachnoiditis - debilitating pain in the back, neck and other limbs.

Judges at London's High Court overnight rejected an appeal by Aintree Hospital in Liverpool, against a ruling it was negligent, the British Press Association reported.

Mrs Sutcliffe, who cannot use her legs, has limited use of her hands and requires around-the-clock care, welcomed the legal decision. She is now preparing to sue. The hospital's decision to appeal an April 2007 ruling increased the pressure on her family, she said. "You think you've won because the court finds in your favour and then you find that it may be taken away from you because the NHS (National Health Service) decides to appeal," she said. "I hope that today's finding will ensure that procedures in operating theatres are tightened up. "I would not want this to happen to anyone else."

Source





Many Brits 'driven' to treatment abroad

Avoiding infections such as MRSA and NHS waiting lists are driving people abroad for medical treatment, according to a poll. A survey of 648 patients who had treatments overseas found that 83% also wanted to save money on the cost of private procedures in the UK. Most (97%) had a good experience and would be willing to go abroad for treatment again. Saving cash was the main motivating factor, but 63% of those having elective procedures wanted to avoid NHS waiting lists while 56% were worried about infections like MRSA.

The poll was carried out for the website www.treatmentabroad.com, which estimated that 100,000 people travelled abroad for surgery and dental treatment in 2007. Around 6% of those questioned for the survey had spent more than œ10,000 on treatment. Nine out of 10 (92%) of cosmetic surgery patients were women, while 69% of those having elective surgery and scans were men. More than half of people choosing to have treatment abroad were aged between 40 and 59.

The top destinations for treatment include Hungary, mostly for dental treatment, Cyprus for cosmetic surgery, and India for surgery and scans. Spain, Belgium and the Czech Republic were also among the most popular destinations, according to the poll.

Source