Damages awarded to Pearson Solicitors client for failure to diagnose ectopic pregnancy
The Pennine Acute NHS Trust have admitted breach of a duty of care after failing to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy in a patient and she was sent home from hospital during the busy Xmas period.
Miss S went into the Royal Oldham Hospital on Christmas Eve with cramps and bleeding. It was early into her pregnancy and she was told she probably had a urine infection, blood tests were done and after being seen by a Doctor in the Gynaecological Assessment Unit she was sent her home. Prior to these events Miss S had suffered three previous miscarriages. 
She went back to hospital on December 26th still in pain, with vomiting and bleeding, at no time was she given an Ultra Sound. A Urinary Tract Infection was confirmed and she was sent home.
Over the next two weeks Miss S continued to be in pain, but said she felt secure that she had seen a Doctor and put the symptoms down to the UTI. On January 9th she collapsed at home and her GP referred her to A&E at the Royal Oldham Hospital where an Ultra Sound revealed an ectopic pregnancy.
Miss S had to have a laparotomy, lost a 2.5 litres of blood and required a blood transfusion.
She approached Pearson Solicitors to make a claim on her behalf and the Trust made a £15,000 settlement.
Medical Negligence Solicitor, Jacqui White, who handled the case said: “Had the Ultra Sound been performed earlier she would have avoid a great deal of pain, suffering, scarring and the frightening episode of a collapse at home. This was a very upsetting time for her and was something that could have been avoided.”
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