Carla Duprey

I think everyone is aware that the NHS is under pressure and that some radical changes will be required to safeguard it for the future. A lot of people may not be aware that the government is planning to publish a major conditions strategy early this...

Some readers may be familiar with the National Bobath Cerebral Palsy Centre and may have attended for treatment themselves or attended with a family member receiving treatment. I know that some of my clients and their families have attended the centre in...

Carl Johnson, from our regulatory team, has recently written some comments about the new General Medical Council (GMC) guidance that has been issued for doctors. Included within this guidance are updated standards regarding whistleblowing systems. ...

Birmingham Women’s Hospital are the first hospital to offer Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening to mothers, as part of a national research trial (GBS3 trial). The purpose of the trial is to look to develop a new GBS swab to help to prevent newborns...

A new study has found changes in gene activity, in small blood vessels in the brain following a stroke, may provide the possibility for new treatment(s) to improve a person’s recovery. My colleague, Judith, has previously written blogs on...

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) have recently analysed the figures for A & E departments and have reported that one patient is dying every 23 minutes in England due to long delays. This statistic is based upon their analysis that 23,003...

New information has revealed that there has been an increase in the amount of 'never events' in the UK. In particular, a record number of ‘foreign objects’ have been left inside patients’ bodies after they have had surgery. NHS...

Cauda equina syndrome itself is not a permanent disability. However, if a person who develops cauda equina syndrome does not get prompt treatment at the key time, then they can be left with permanent disabilities. These can range from ongoing pain to...

We will all know that energy and petrol prices are going through the roof and I know that we will all be concerned about what impact this is having upon people. However, I am not sure that it has been fully appreciated what a devastating impact the...

A pressure sore is damage to the skin and underlying tissues, which is caused by there being prolonged pressure on one area of the body. Pressure sores usually occur when a person is immobile and has been left in the same position for a long period of time...

Your GP surgery is usually your first port of call when you start to suffer from any medical symptoms and the recent covid pandemic has highlighted how important it is, in certain circumstances, to be able to see your GP for a face-to-face appointment. As...

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Getting cancer whilst you are a child can have a devastating impact on your development and your family and friends' lives. Instead of a child going to school, making friends and learning new...

We deal with a number of clinical negligence claims relating to a delay in the diagnosis of cancer. These types of cases can be difficult as, although there may have been a delay in the diagnosis, the patient may still require the same treatment that...

Charcot’s foot is a serious, but not very well known, potential complication of having diabetes. It is a weakening of the bones in the foot, which can occur when a person has nerve damage (neuropathy) in their feet. Diabetic neuropathy occurs due to...

The charity, Headway, have recently published a report outlining the various impacts that the pandemic has had upon brain injury survivors and their families - see the full report here: The impact of lockdown on brain injury survivors and their...

After many months of speculation, the Lord Chancellor has finally revealed that the new discount rate for personal injury claims will be -0.25%. This has been calculated using the new methodology of taking into account the actual returns available on...

I have seen a few articles recently about the increased use of technology in healthcare and how it could potentially lead to fewer fully trained doctors being required and decreased costs in the NHS in the long-term. Dr Eric Topol (US health expert) has...

The Manchester Evening News has covered an inquest of a man (Paul Hardy) who died from sepsis ten hours after attending his GP surgery. Paul had fallen ill in February 2016 with cold-like symptoms. He attended his GP surgery on 17 th February...

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is currently reviewing whether patients were given adequate warnings regarding the use of the epilepsy drug, Sodium Valporate, during pregnancy. This review includes a Public Hearing where evidence is being given by...

A report in 2015, by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), reviewed the care of patients with sepsis. The report concluded with a number of recommendations for training, guidance and protocols to be implemented to ensure...

I wrote a blog back in January 2013 regarding the Medical Innovations Bill that has been proposed by Lord Saatchi to Parliament. This Bill has now arrived in the House of Commons and has therefore reached the second stage of its approval through Parliament....

The Government has previously promised (in response to the recommendations made by the Francis Report) that a new statutory Duty of Candour will be introduced for the NHS. This would mean that hospitals would be legally obliged to admit to any medical...

Jeremy Hunt MP has recently made a statement to Parliament setting out the Government’s response to the recommendations made by the Robert Francis’ Report, compiled following the failings in care at Stafford Hospital. Mr Hunt did not respond to...