Claim relating to poor nursing care and development of avoidable pressure sores

We advised on a claim against Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust after our client’s father had developed pressure sores while in hospital.

He was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital following a fall at home and was later transferred to Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. During his stay in hospital there were various issues concerning the nursing care that he received. He suffered numerous pressure sores including a Grade 3/4 sore to his right heel, grade 2 sore to his sacrum and a grade 3/4 sore to his toe.

Sadly our client’s father passed away suddenly around six months after his initial admission to hospital. Following his death, our client raised concerns about her father’s treatment and the standard of nursing care that he received while in hospital. She was concerned that this had led to the development of multiple pressure sores and his subsequent deterioration.

Following investigations, the defendant trust admitted that there were failings in the care provided to our client’s father. It agreed that some of the risk assessments performed were not sufficient and that the nursing care fell short particularly when it came to steps that should have been taken to avoid the development of pressure sores. However, the defendant argued that there was a significant likelihood that our client’s father would have developed pressure sores even with the right standard of nursing care.  

The medical expert evidence which we obtained demonstrated that this was not the case and that, had our client’s father received the right standard of care, the pressure sores would have been avoided.

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