Cancer Patients Suffering During Covid-19

The NHS may be failing cancer patients during the Covid-19 outbreak reports have shown. This may lead to the number of incidents of NHS Negligence rising and more patients suing the NHS for compensation.
The Institute for Cancer Research is asking NHS to ensure the number no. of

“cancer-surgery delays does not cost more lives than the number of Covid-19 patients saved”.

Cancer Misdiagnosis & Referral Delays

Reports estimate that the number of cancer referrals in England and Wales are down by 70% during the pandemic. However, Cancer has not gone away. It is a fear that patients are not being referred for diagnostic cancer tests or are not attending NHS service providers due to fear.

Medical practitioners are concerned that in many cancers, a three-month delay in diagnosis of the condition can be the difference between life and death. It could make the difference between a tumour being curable or not, said the Institute.

Modelling has suggested delaying surgery in cancer patients risked thousands of additional deaths. 

NHS England is already urging people to seek help for worrying symptoms. However, this may be too little too late and cases of suing the NHS are likely to rise. Patients’ needs answers if they have been failed by the NHS.

NHS Complaints Procedure Compensation

If you feel that the NHS has provided negligence care then you may want to make a complaint. The NHS can review your complaint directly if you follow the NHS Complaints Procedure for Compensation.

Every NHS Trust in England & Wales has their own complaints policy and procedure that can be accessed upon request. Sometimes you can also access this on the NHS Trust website. If you follow the procedure specified you may receive an apology and in some circumstances and offer of compensation.

We strongly advise that you seek independent legal advice before accepting any offer of compensation from an NHS Trust in relation to Medical Negligence.