A woman has received compensation after a 16-hour delay to surgery for deep vein thrombosis in her leg resulted in amputation.
A young woman whose left leg was amputated at Dewsbury and District Hospital following a 16-hour delay to surgery has received compensation which has allowed her to access specialist rehabilitation.
Molly Harbron attended the hospital’s A&E department concerned that her left leg and foot were numb and cold and she had calf pain. Her left foot was also discoloured.
A possible deep vein thrombosis was initially suspected, but no tests were done. She should have undergone surgery that evening, but this did not happen until lunchtime the following day. Surgeons were unable to restore blood flow to her lower left leg. She initially underwent a below the knee amputation, but days later had to have surgery to amputate her leg above the knee.
“Through our work we too often see how failings connected to inadequate assessments and delays can lead to significant injuries. Molly’s case vividly highlights the life-changing repercussions patients can be left to face,” said Ashlee Coates, medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell.
Breach of duty
Following legal submissions by the firm, Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust admitted a breach of duty. It acknowledged that if Harbron had undergone surgery by the evening on the day she went to hospital, on the balance of probabilities, she would have avoided her amputations.
Irwin Mithcell and the Hospital Trust continue to work to a agree a final compensation package which will pay for the life-time support, physiotherapy and upkeep of Molly’s prosthetic.
“Although her story is a stark reminder of the need to uphold the highest standards of patient safety, it also highlights how, through early access to rehab, people can start to flourish after losing a limb,” said Coates.
