Prescription errors claims

Securing compensation when there has been a prescription error

• The range of prescription errors that can and do occur are huge
• The effects when a mistake is made can be devastating
• If you think you have suffered as a result of medical negligence, it is important to contact a solicitor as soon as possible

Every day hundreds of thousands of prescriptions are written in the UK as part of the service provided by healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, mistakes can be made in any area of healthcare and the prescription service is no exception. Prescription errors can result in someone becoming disabled either mentally or physically and can even result in death.

Prescriptions are decided by your healthcare professional and are then dispensed by another healthcare professional. A number of errors can occur.

What are prescription errors?

Prescription errors can include, but are not limited to:

• Incorrect medicine being prescribed by the doctor
• Incorrect dosage
• Incorrect spelling by the doctor resulting in the incorrect medicine being given
• Incorrect labelling by the pharmacist
• Unsupervised repeat prescription

Prescription errors can result in:

• Brain damage
• Digestive problems including stomach ulcers, stomach bleeding
• Blindness
• Psychological illness
• Death
• Allergic reaction

Each case involving a prescription error will be different depending on the facts involved. For some people, an error may cause no harm, but for others, there may be serious consequences with life-long implications.

Support

If you have suffered due to a prescription error, we have a wide range of contacts with organisations who can support you and work closely with you. These include:

• Case managers who will assess and organise any support and care you may need;
• Support workers who will visit you on a regular basis to provide you support and help;
• Community rehabilitation such as occupational therapy.
• Charities and support groups.

Do you have a compensation claim?

Prescription errors can be made by a number of healthcare professionals and can vary greatly in the effect they have on a patient. If you have experienced a prescription error and have suffered injury as a result of that error, then we may be able to help you make a claim. It is important you contact a solicitor as soon as possible, as the sooner we can begin work on your claim, the sooner we can start to help you.

Whilst we deal with your claim, our specialist community care team can also provide advice and support in relation to your ongoing entitlement to health and social care provision and support at home or in the community.

If you believe that you or someone you know has suffered as a result of medical negligence please contact Anne Cassidy.

We have offices in Southampton, London, Guildford, Woking, Lymington and Richmond and provide specialist legal support on a national level. We deal with clients throughout the country and we will visit you at your home, hospital or rehabilitation unit.