In a claim for clinical negligence it must be proven that the medical care fell short of that considered reasonable by a responsible body of medical opinion; and that as a result injury was suffered. If both can be proven, then financial compensation will be paid.

An obstetric brachial plexus palsy injury can have a lifelong impact on many aspects of a child’s life. A look into a powerful case study of Daisy’s story shows that there can be both physical ans emotional effects as well as, potentially, an impact on the child’s future.

Martin had a long-standing history of mechanical back pain which troubled him from time to time. However, he was an otherwise fit and healthy man in his 30s who did a manual job and lived a moderately active life. However his back pain suddenly worsened one day after doing exercise when he experienced severe, searing pain in lower back just above his buttocks, particularly on the one side.

Duncan James, member of British boyband ‘Blue’, actor and theatre star, has been appointed as the first ever ambassador for Cauda Equina Champions Charity (CECC).

Poor medical care can sadly not only result in injury, but also the death of a patient. For those matters the statutory bereavement award, a set figure of compensation paid to the deceased’s family, has been increased.

With reference to this Daily Mail Online article, Tozers’ Group B Strep specialist Stuart Bramley comments on the NHS’s decision to trial Group B Strep screening in pregnant women.

On 1 March 2019, Mrs Justice Yip, High Court Judge found that Dr Stead, a GP had breached his duty of care to a 35 year old patient whom he saw in his “out of hours” clinic. It seems that Dr Stead failed to note ‘red flag’ warning signs for cauda equina syndrome and to refer Mrs Shaw on urgently to hospital.

We are pleased to confirm the launch of an animation video entitled Better care costs less produced by Prompt (PRactical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training), a charity whose aim is to make childbirth safer through evidence-based, multi-professional training and research.

Tom sustained a severe Group II obstetric brachial plexus injury with damage to his C5, C6 and C7 nerves following shoulder dystocia during his birth in 1996. Although Tom’s mother sought to bring a claim in the 1990s she was advised at the time that the case did not have prospects of success. Tom subsequently sought legal representation again in his late teens on realising that his injury was going to have a significant impact on his life.

In 1995 when Sarah (not her real name) was born, knowledge that a brachial plexus injury was preventable was slowly spreading. During labour, after Sarah’s head was delivered, shoulder dystocia occurred, and Sarah’s left shoulder became trapped against her mother’s pubic bone. In the attempt to manage the obstruction, the registrar who dealt with this obstetric emergency pulled too hard on Sarah’s head. The force used damaged 4 of the 5 nerves in Sarah’s brachial plexus: C5, 6, 7 and C8.

Adam* suffered a brachial plexus injury to his right side during his birth in 1998. The C5, 6 and 7 nerves were damaged as a consequence of the medical staff’s efforts to deliver him by pulling on his head when he was stuck during delivery (shoulder dystocia). Early assessments as an infant by specialists at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital were optimistic and remedial surgery was therefore not performed. However, as Adam grew his recovery was not as had been hoped and he developed abnormalities including contractures and subluxation of the shoulder joint. He had surgery at 2 years, 4 years and 7 years of age.

Those who follow the news would be forgiven for thinking that 2018 is the year of NHS scandals. Sir Brian Langstaffe’s inquiry into infected blood products, from which 3,000 died and over 25,000 are believed to have been infected, is being heard as separate investigations into hospitals in Shrewsbury & Telford suggest that on evidence available so far, 40 babies have died unnecessarily and another 12 bereaved families have been contacted in case the deaths of their children arose from similar causes.