A recent coroner’s report into the death of 71‑year‑old woman has raised serious concerns about delays in A&E and the impact of hospital bed shortages on patient safety.
The patient was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital after a fall, but was not admitted to the resuscitation area, despite needing trauma care, because it was full. Her pelvic fractures were not identified until many hours later, and the coroner concluded that avoidable delays in diagnosis and treatment contributed to her death.
The report highlighted wider issues, including:
- Persistent overcrowding in A&E
- Delays in imaging and assessment
- Difficulty transferring patients due to bed blocking, with many beds occupied by patients medically fit for discharge
- Systemic delays in accessing social care support
Why this matters for clinical negligence
Even when hospitals are under pressure, they still owe patients a duty to:
- Triage and escalate appropriately
- Carry out timely investigations
- Ensure safe and efficient patient flow
If delays cause a patient’s condition to worsen, there may be grounds for a clinical negligence claim. System‑wide issues do not prevent individuals from seeking compensation if avoidable harm occurred.
Claims relating to delayed diagnosis or inadequate triage are becoming increasingly common due to rising NHS pressures, and each case must be assessed on its specific facts.
If you’re concerned about delayed treatment
Patients and families should:
- Request medical records
- Note a clear timeline of events
- Keep all hospital correspondence
- Speak to a specialist clinical negligence solicitor
Comment
Our clinical negligence team regularly supports clients who have experienced:
- Delayed treatment in A&E
- Missed fractures or internal injuries
- Failures to escalate to senior clinicians
- Delays caused by bed shortages or transfer issues
If you have concerns about the care you or a family member has received, we can provide clear advice on whether you may have grounds to pursue a claim and what the process involves.
How can we help?
Adelle Gamble is a Paralegal in our Medical Negligence team, which has been ranked in tier one by the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
If you have any questions in relation to the subjects discussed in this article, then please get in touch with Adelle or another member of the team in Derby, Leicester, or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.
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If this article relates to a specific case/cases, please note that the facts of this case/cases are correct at the time of writing.