We represented the executor of a deceased patient who suffered full-thickness, Category 4, pressure ulcer injuries whilst admitted as an inpatient to the hospital.
The patient was admitted to the hospital, and it was recognised by those caring for him that he was at high risk of developing pressure ulcers. This was outlined within a pressure ulcer risk assessment. Despite this having been identified as a risk, there were repeated failures of the hospital’s own two-hourly repositioning protocol, with gaps ranging from three to as many as nine hours over several days.
During the patient’s admission, a tissue viability nurse confirmed that he had developed a sacral ulcer measuring 70cm². This could have been avoided had he been repositioned as outlined in the risk assessment. The patient was discharged but re-admitted over a year later. He still had grade 4 pressure ulcers. During this separate admission, nursing staff again failed to adhere to the two-hour repositioning protocol. This resulted in further harm to the patient.
How we helped our client
We raised a Court action against the Health Board. We obtained a report from a nursing expert who concluded as follows:
- Breach: The nursing staff failed to meet the standard of care expected of ordinarily competent nurses by failing to check pressure areas and neglecting to reposition the patient every two hours.
- Causation: The prolonged pressure on the sacrum directly led to the development and worsening of pressure ulcers.
- Condition/Prognosis: The patient endured pain and discomfort from the point of the first hospital admission until he sadly died two years later, with the ulcers significantly impacting his quality of life.
Settlement
We successfully negotiated a settlement of £40,000 payable to the deceased’s estate. This outcome reflects the seriousness of the failings to comply with protocols, and the compensation achieved reflected the significant pain endured by the deceased for the last two years of his life.
