Cancer is a serious condition that affects many people across Britain, however, the amount of misdiagnoses has been on the rise in recent years. This has tragic consequences for the patients at the receiving end of this serious medical negligence.
While a cancer misdiagnosis is never okay, the factors contributing to the climbing rates are highly complicated. This guide will take you through the complexity of medical negligence, with a particular focus on cancer misdiagnosis.
The Prevalence and Impact of Cancer Misdiagnosis
In hospitals and clinics throughout the UK, the vast majority of cancer cases are diagnosed correctly, in time and are administered the right treatment. Shockingly though, cancer misdiagnoses are increasing in prevalence. A survey by the All Can cancer initiative found that misdiagnosis rates were nearly at 32%, with head, neck and brain cancer being the main culprits.
A cancer diagnosis is a serious and even life-threatening act of negligence. It prevents patients from receiving the healthcare they need to cure their cancer or control its spread. Denying them of this could result in life-changing injury and illness, even loss of life in the gravest circumstances.
Factors Contributing to Cancer Misdiagnosis
We are lucky to live in a country where the quality of healthcare is relatively high. However, systemic issues arising from a lack of funding in the NHS have led to misdiagnoses and patient care to suffer at times.
Common errors resulting in cancer misdiagnoses and substandard care include faulty testing procedures, interpretation errors and catastrophic admin events, such as the loss of patient notes or files. This can lead to life-changing experiences for patients that leave without the proper care to treat their ailments.
Legal Implications and Patient Rights
Patients have a legal right to only the best standard of care when it comes to their health. If healthcare professionals have breached their duty of care towards you by failing to diagnose or misdiagnosing cancer, then you could have a valid claim for medical negligence.
Contact a legal expert in medical negligence to help find out whether you can make a claim to receive the compensation you deserve. They will be there every step of the way to walk you through the legal process of making a claim, including collecting evidence and bringing your case to court if it reaches this point.
