When healthcare goes wrong

Gillian Bean suffered chest pains for years before she was finally diagnosed with a heart condition. On frequent visits to her family doctor, she was repeatedly told she had a digestion problem. Eventually, after hospital tests, a specialist diagnosed a serious heart condition.

Almost 10 years later, Gillian is still trying to obtain an explanation of what went wrong but has been met with denials, abuse and obstruction. Once, she says, she had 'total faith' in doctors. Now she says: 'We are the present day lepers because we remind doctors of their failures.'

Anyone who sees a doctor with a worrying complaint, expects him or her to put them back on their feet. Anyone going into hospital in an emergency or for a planned operation, expects to leave feeling better.

Yet this does not always happen. Hospitals – and GP surgeries – can be dangerous places. Official figures show that you are more likely to die as the result of something going wrong in hospital than in a road accident, air crash or fire. In addition, many more people suffer injuries or illness due to mistakes happening in hospitals and GP practices. Yet often medical errors go unreported or are even covered up.

Has a medical mishap affected your life or the quality of life of a loved one? We can help. Get in touch.