Reported incidents of medication and prescription errors are surprisingly high.
An NHS England publication from March 2014 highlighted that research into medication error rates showed:
- A 3 – 8% rate of medicine administration errors in hospital
- A 7% prescribing error rate in hospital
- A 5% prescribing errors rate in general practice
- A predicted 1.8 million serious prescribing errors each year
In addition to errors by hospitals and GPs there are now significant incidences of medication errors taking place in care homes.
Whilst thankfully often such errors will result in little or no harm, some can cause serious injury, illness and even death.
The most common medication and prescription errors which can result in injuries are:
- Wrong dosage of a drug
- Wrong drug – either an entirely unsuitable drug or sometimes due to , contra-indications, allergies or other drugs already prescribed
- Drugs given to the wrong patient
- Incorrect labelling and administrative errors
These errors may be due to the way in which a healthcare professional has prescribed the particular drug or due to failings in a correctly prescribed drug being dispensed and administered.
If you or a family member may have suffered an injury as a result of a medication or prescription error then you may be entitled to compensation.
We at Freemans have a wealth of experience in dealing with all types of Clinical Negligence claims. Using our knowledge and expertise we will ensure that your claim is investigated fully in a sensitive manner. We will work tirelessly to ensure that not only is compensation secured for the pain and losses caused by the injuries suffered but that support and any further treatment and rehabilitation needed can be sought.
Please call one of our solicitors today on 0191 222 1030 for a free consultation in relation to your claim or complete our website enquiry form.
