Expertise in Prescription Error Negligence Claims

Prescription Error Negligence Claims

With over one billion items being prescribed in 2022/23 in England and Wales, it isn’t surprising that sometimes mistakes can happen when they are dispensed. However, receiving incorrect medication isn’t like picking up the wrong brand of milk at the supermarket. Prescription Error Negligence Claims aims to combat the effects of what goes wrong.

The results can cause illness, injury, and even death. What is prescription error negligence, and what should you do if you believe you have been the victim of it?

What is Prescription Error Negligence?

Medical negligence is when avoidable errors lower the standard of care you receive to a level where it is just unacceptable. Care can be negligent without causing injury, although for a compensation claim to be successful, both need to occur. Prescription error negligence falls into one of two categories: errors made when prescribing medication, and mistakes made when dispensing it.

Prescription errors can include:

• Prescribing medication to which a patient has a known allergy.
• Prescribing medication which conflicts another type the patient is taking.
• Prescribing an inappropriate medication.
• Prescribing the wrong dose of medicine, or advising a patient to take it too frequently or not often enough.
• Allowing a repeat prescription to continue for an extended period without reviewing the patient.
• Not including sufficient details on the prescription, or using illegible handwriting.

Dispensing errors can include:

• Mixing up patient prescriptions.
• Making mistakes when labelling medication.
• Neglecting to ensure the patient is aware of how, and how frequently, they should administer the medication.
• Failing to keep records of what has been dispensed to each patient.
• Failing to challenge or question a prescription a pharmacist feels is inappropriate, or potentially harmful.
• Having inadequate control over suppliers to ensure no fake medication is purchased.
• Keeping medication at the wrong temperature, or not informing patients how to store their medicine correctly.

The results of prescription error negligence can be minimal, or they can cause serious illness and potentially be life-threatening. If you believe you, or someone you care for, has been harmed by prescription error negligence, get in touch with The Medical Negligence Experts today.

How Can We Help?

We appreciate that when clients make their first enquiry they may still be recovering from their illness, and feel hurt and angry about the substandard healthcare they have received. The first job is to investigate and assess your situation to determine whether you have grounds for a valid claim – that is, whether you can prove your care was negligent, and that you were injured as a result.

Once we know you have a potential claim we will connect you to one of our partnered solicitors who will get the necessary evidence together and submit it to the other party with your compensation request. A compensation claim isn’t just about having your expenses paid; it is about obtaining acknowledgement that you were failed by those you trusted.

Even if you are unsure whether you want to proceed with a claim, it is worth speaking to The Medical Negligence Experts as early as possible. There is a statutory time limit on making a claim, and the better informed you are, the more appropriate your decisions can be.

Contact The Medical Negligence Experts today to see how we can help you.