What is World Cancer Day?
Almost everyone will be touched by cancer at some stage in life. World Cancer Day on 4th February is an opportunity to focus on the crucial fact that early detection and diagnosis of cancer can save millions of lives. The first World Cancer Day is a global initiative organised by the Union for International Cancer…
What Is Gallbladder Removal Surgery And How Can It Go Wrong?
The surgical process of gallbladder removal is called a Cholecystectomy, and is a relatively common procedure from which the vast majority of patients make a full recovery. However, there are some possible complications to the surgery which can be painful and uncomfortable, and there is also the possibility of surgical negligence, which in extreme cases…
Surgical Mistakes – What Should You Do Next?
There are large numbers of people up and down the UK who undergo surgery every day for many reasons and in most cases the surgery goes as planned, they have a short recovery period and are able to continue with their lives. For a small number of people however, there are occasions when the surgery…
What is The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB)?
The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) was established to investigate safety incidents. The purpose is to learn lessons, to change and improve patient safety, and to share recommendations to prevent similar incidents from happening again. It does not apportion blame. HSIB investigations are independent in that they do not investigate on behalf of families, staff,…
Is It Time To Talk About The Impact Of Non-Face-To-Face GP Consultations?
Uncertainty over a GP surgery’s requirement to hold face-to-face consultations could lead to more misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis, and more fatalities. At Ison Harrison, we are calling for clearer guidelines and leadership on the issue of face-to-face GP consultations, to reduce the risk of the tragic David Nash case being repeated. David Nash was a…
Loving Husband Of 54 Years Dies Following Failure To Diagnose Colon Cancer [Case Study]
Brian and Susan were enjoying their retirement together when tests showed that Brian had a hernia, and that he needed surgery. Following surgery, he had a CT scan and was discharged with no follow up. 10 months later, Brian returned to hospital with pneumonia. He told the doctor that he had suffered with constipation, weight…
Thank You To Our #ErbsPalsyHeroes 2021
On 18th October, we took part in #ErbsPalsyAwarenessWeek, an annual event to help raise awareness and understanding about Erb’s Palsy. Every year we share articles and advice across our social media channels. This year, we decided to go one step further and also run a campaign to find #ErbsPalsyHeroes. Collaborating with The Erb’s Palsy Group,…
Call For Urgent Investment As Cancer Targets Continue To Be Missed
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is a devastating moment and one where you need the help and support of loved ones and trusted professionals. Even though one in two of us will receive some form of cancer diagnosis in our lifetime, it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with. It is common to have to…
Understanding a Brachial Plexus Injury
This article has been kindly provided by Kay Ganguly, a Consultant Physiotherapist and Expert Witness at Healing Touch Physiotherapy Ltd. The Brachial Plexus is a complicated bundle of nerves that runs from the neck into the shoulder region and down the arm; it supplies the arm and hand with movement and sensation. Most brachial plexus…
Lawyers Urge Patients Of Dismissed Leeds Shoulder Surgeon To Come Forward
Press Release – October 2021 Patients who may have been treated by a Leeds-based surgeon specialising in trauma and orthopaedic procedures are being encouraged to come forward over concerns about the care or treatment they experienced. Specialist medical negligence solicitors at Leeds law firm, Ison Harrison, have already been instructed to act on behalf of…
Erb’s Palsy Case Study: Mr A – v – Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
In 2017, James Thompson was approached by Mr A who was unhappy with his current solicitors and wished to transfer his claim. Mr A was aged 19 at the time which meant that: a) the time he had left to either settle his claim or issue court proceedings, (eve of his 21st birthday) was fast…
The Tragic Story of How Remote GP Consultations Couldn’t Save One Man’s Life
Updated: 30th September 2022 The father of a Leeds law student is calling for more face to face GP services with less reliance on online consultations, following the death of his son. David Nash died on 4th November 2020 aged just 26 years, following a short illness during which he had been unable to access…
Ison Harrison & The Erb’s Palsy Group Campaign: Help Us Find #ErbsPalsyHeroes
As Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week approaches, this year we are running a joint campaign with the Erb’s Palsy Group to find #ErbsPalsyHeroes! Our campaign aims to profile and shine the spotlight on some inspirational individuals who have Erb’s Palsy, giving them a platform to show that a birth injury does not limit a child’s ability…
Local Leeds Man Recovers Damages Of £50,000 Due To Negligent Shoulder Surgery By Michael Walsh At Spire Hospital
A total of 26 patients have instructed Ison Harrison’s medical negligence solicitors to investigate the care they received by Mr Michael Walsh at Spire Leeds Hospital and Nuffield Health Hospitals Leeds. Here is the case of Mr KL v Spire Healthcare Limited. Mr KL was a very active man with a young family, who trained…
The Impact of Lockdown: Interview With The Erb’s Palsy Group
This year took an unexpected turn with the pandemic and the various restrictions that have followed. The lockdown forced a lot of people to change the way they work and deliver services. For many people this meant fully embracing the digital world. At Ison Harrison the use of video conferencing enabled us to carry out…
Supporting Each Other: Ison Harrison & The Erb’s Palsy Group
As part of Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2020, our Head of Clinical Negligence, James Thompson, talks about his longstanding relationship with the Erb’s Palsy Group. How did you get involved with the EPG? I was lucky enough to have been trained by Cathie Delaney who is a specialist clinical negligence solicitor and former Midwife when…
What Is Erb’s Palsy? Infographic
To support Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2020, we have created this infographic detailing the key facts about Erb’s Palsy.
Maternity Care In England
In 2015 the Secretary of State asked the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) to investigate and improve maternity safety across England. The HSIB aims to half the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths, and brain injuries that occur soon after birth, by 2025. It will make national safety recommendations for the whole health service….
Q&A with Kim Hawksby for Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
This week we have interviewed Kim Hawksby, an Erb’s Palsy sufferer who is an Occupational Therapist. Q1: What is your experience of having Erb’s Palsy? When I was born my shoulder got stuck on my mum’s pelvis (shoulder dystocia). The medical team did not know how to manage this birth emergency and instead of carrying…
Q&A with Jordan for Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
For Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019, we have interviewed Jordan Barnsdall, a young man living with Erb’s Palsy. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I am Jordan Barnsdall, 21 years old, I live and work in Sheffield. I had a difficult birth as I was a big baby – 9lb 12oz and suffered…
New Interview with Karen Hillyer, Chair of the Erb’s Palsy Group
We did a Q&A with Karen back in 2017 and we thought the Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019 would be a good time to catch up with Karen again to see what the charity has been doing over the past two years. Karen has been involved in the Erb’s Palsy Group since 1993 when it was…
We’re Proud To Support Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
Ison Harrison has a long association with the Erb’s Palsy Group (EPG) and has worked tirelessly over the years to promote research work into Erb’s Palsy and support families and individuals with the condition. We are proud to have been identified and recommended as an Erb’s Palsy specialist solicitors by the EPG, and this has…
Spire Leeds CQC Report Indicates Improvement In Care Needed
A report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) dated 3 July 2019 has stated that Spire Leeds Hospital ‘requires improvement’ following their inspection on 11 December 2018. Spire Leeds is a private hospital and considered to be one of Yorkshire’s largest offering treatment of over 30 medical specialities. The hospital has facilities which include four…
Delayed Diagnosis of Breast Cancer – Case Study
Clinical Negligence Successful Case Study: Mrs S noticed a lump in her right breast. The area around the lump was visibly indented, as though the lump was pulling the skin in towards her chest. She discussed her concerns with her husband who examined the lump and advised her to visit her GP. She held off…
Ami Law feature :: College and University presentations
Ami Law is a solicitor in our Clinical Negligence department. She recently gave an insightful presentation to the midwifery students at the University of Central Lancashire. Ami was invited to give the presentation to complement their Law Module, which had prompted students to have concerns and anxiety about the prospects of being negligent. The purpose…
Spire Leeds Internal Investigation into Shoulder Surgeries
We have recently taken enquiries from a number of patients who have received shoulder surgery at the Spire Leeds Hospital. We understand that, following an internal review, Spire Leeds has identified some areas of concern with the treatment provided at the hospital. They have contacted affected patients to discuss the findings of their internal investigation….
Cervical Cancer Clinical Negligence Case Study
Below details the case of a Clinical Negligence claim on the behalf of Mr EK: Widower and Executor of the Estate of the deceased Mrs AB, at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust & Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Mrs AB was a kind, caring person. She was well-mannered and polite, and she would do…
Health Foundation Data Reveals UK Lags Behind For Cancer Care
According to a review made by the Health Foundation based on OECD data, government records held between 1995 and 2015 state that despite strategies setting ambitious goals, the NHS is lagging behind. England has failed to close the gap on the best performing nations when it comes to cancer care. The Health Foundation analysed UK…
Reasonable Adjustments An Employer Should Make For Erb’s Palsy Sufferers
Living with Erb’s Palsy requires a number of adjustments to be made both at home and at work. The key to this is information and understanding. At home there is likely to be a support network and specialist help at hand, but at work it is often the case that a lack of knowledge and…
Making a Medical Negligence Claim for Erb’s Palsy
Sadly, despite the excellent standards of today’s medical professionals, many of the cases of Erb’s Palsy that still occur could be prevented. At Ison Harrison we understand that it can be extremely difficult to learn that your child has suffered an injury and to deal with the emotional and financial strain of raising a child…
What Nerves Are Affected In Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s Palsy is a condition which occurs during birth trauma. Also known as Brachial Plexus Paralysis, the condition can affect 1 or the entire 5 primary nerves that supply feeling and movement to an arm. This affects mobility and functions of an arm, impacting daily life. Erb’s palsy is a partial to complete paralysis of…
Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018
The loss of a baby can be one of the most harrowing times a person, couple or family has to deal with. Whether the baby is lost during pregnancy or in the early weeks or months of life, it can be a life-changing event, where blossoming attachments and connections already made are severed before you…
Vaccines Stored at Wrong Temperature – Again
Simon Helliwell, a senior Chartered Legal Executive within our Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Team, had been instructed last year in relation to a number of cases involving a Leeds GP surgery which, following a routine inspection by the Care Quality Commission, was found to have stored vaccines at an incorrect temperature – for up…
NHS Care in Maternity Units Not Meeting Standards
Maternity units forced to close across the UK In 2017, 11 NHS trust disclosed they had been forced to close maternity units more than 10 times during the year, due to shortage of staff. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by Labour identified 300 occasions where maternity units were closed and mothers were sent elsewhere, due…
New NHS Guidance Could Save 600 Stillborn Babies Each Year
According to a recent article by the Telegraph, 600 babies could be saved from stillbirth each year in the UK under new NHS guidance. This guidance is known as the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle. It seeks to increase monitoring of babies throughout pregnancy by intervening to reduce cigarette smoking, detecting small babies, informing women…
Caesarean (C-Section) Claims – What You Need To Know
It may be that you have been advised by your doctor to have a caesarean to deliver your baby, or you may have chosen an elective caesarean instead. If you feel you have been advised incorrectly or a caesarean section has resulted in injury to yourself or your baby, you may be entitled to make…
Gosport Hospital Report Reveals 456 Patients Died From Opioids Prescribed Without Justification
A report has been published today which has concluded that 456 patients died at Gosport War Memorial Hospital since 1989 as a result of “administering opioids without medical justification”. A further 200 patients may also have died as a result from the sedative medication misuse but records were missing in those cases. The report has openly…
Debilitating Pelvic Pain Following Child Birth -Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) or Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP)
It is estimated that SPD/PGP affects as many as 1 in 5 pregnant women to some extent. It is not harmful to your baby, but it can cause severe pain around your pelvic area including your lower back. Pain can also radiate to your thighs and some women feel or hear clicking or grinding in…
Welcome to Holland Poem: Raising A Child With Additional Needs
The Clinical Negligence team at Ison Harrison Solicitors work with families who are raising children with special needs and disabilities. Due to the nature of our work, their disabilities were often avoidable and caused by negligent care by medical professionals. We know that this can be extremely difficult to come to terms with and getting the…
Case Study: Extravasation Injury – Mr C v The Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Mr C attended Leeds General Infirmary on 5 August 2016 for a CT scan with contrast to determine the cause of haematuria (presence of blood in urine). As part of the procedure, a peripheral cannula needed to be inserted for the intravenous injection of dye and saline. Two nurses attended to him, but only one…
Elderly People Suffering as a Consequence of Medical Negligence
Medical negligence involving elderly people can be very serious, even leading to death in some cases. Problems can occur when elderly people aren’t able to voice concerns about health issues. They often feel unable or scared to speak out, or confused and upset about what is happening to them. Many have complex medical histories, and…
Bosses Put More Strain on NHS Resources with “Impossible” New Directive
Cases of clinical negligence within the NHS could be on the increase as hospital bosses have admitted that a new patient check-up edict will be “impossible” to fulfil. A letter from regulators NHS England and NHS Improvement to hospital bosses, sent in early March, has been ridiculed for its insistence that every inpatient should be…
NHS Breast Cancer Screening Blunder – Have You Been Affected?
The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has said that up to 270 women in England may have died because they did not receive invitations to a final breast cancer screening due to a computer error. 450,000 women aged 68-71 failed to get invitations since 2009. Of those 450,000 women, 309,000 are still alive. All of those…
NHS Trust Recalls More Than 2,500 Neurology Patients Following Potential Misdiagnosis
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust have recalled more than 2,500 neurology patients, including children, amid concerns they may have been mis-diagnosed by Dr Michael Watt. The Ulster Independent Clinic has also confirmed Dr Watt operated a private practice there until June 2017. Neurology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment…
Birth Injuries to the Mother – What Happens Next?
Birth injuries are a common feature of medical negligence cases, but these usually focus on injuries to the newborn. Injuries to the mother during childbirth are also common, but are often dismissed as being a natural consequence of the birth process. This is not always the case. Birth injuries can have long-term and life-changing effects…
We’re Supporting Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month #StartMakingNoise
March is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. 11 women die in the UK every day from ovarian cancer. Awareness of ovarian cancer is low, both among women and GPs, with two-thirds of women diagnosed once the cancer has already spread. The Clinical Negligence Team at Ison Harrison are supporting the charity Target Ovarian Cancer by spreading…
Can I Claim For a Delay in Diagnosing Cancer?
Finding out that you or a loved one has Cancer is absolutely devastating, whilst considering the prognosis, treatment and overall implications you may start to consider if it could have been diagnosed sooner. Cancer Clinical Negligence Claims Most claims in this area relate to a delay or a failure to diagnose the disease. It is well known…
Testicular Torsion – Know the Signs
A twisted testicle, more accurately described as testicular torsion, is a painful experience but the effects can be long lasting if medical treatment is not administered as quickly as possible. Testicular Torsion is a medical emergency; there is a short window to treat before permanent damage occurs. Testicular torsion occurs when the spermatic cord twists…
Our Work in 2017 Supporting Birth Injury Charities
At Ison Harrison, our work in supporting charity groups and raising awareness of birth injuries is well documented. We are one of only three law firms in England and Wales recommended by the national charity the Erb’s Palsy Group, with whom we have partnered in 2017 to promote a series of fantastic events. Specialist knowledge…