Figures Raise Patient Safety Concerns

A medical negligence expert has welcomed calls for an inquiry to be launched into the number of deaths recorded by the North Wales NHS Trust as avoidable.

Mandy Luckman of Irwin Mitchell commented after reports from the Daily Post revealed the issue was raised by Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams during First Ministers Questions this week.

She revealed that between October 2008 and March 2009 a total of 172 people were harmed unnecessarily whilst in the care of the trust, adding that the figure was about one a day.

Commenting on the details, Medical Law & Patients Rights lawyer Mandy Luckman said: “Such statistics are undoubtedly a major cause for concern, particularly when it is stated so clearly that the cases could have been avoided.

“So many of the cases we deal with are about simply gaining answers to how problems have occurred and ensuring the same mistakes are not made again.

“Too many avoidable errors occur in the NHS every year and it is vital that a strong focus is placed in patient safety for the sake of every victim.”