A 75-year-old male believes NHS blood pressure machines are ‘dangerous’ and condemns their use.
The bold words are in response to a suspected heart attack days after Henry used the machine.
As a result, Henry can no longer participate in his favourite past times, fly-fishing and golf due to the lack of feeling in his left hand.
Patient Claim Line’s Serious Injury Solicitor, Trevor Ward took representation of Henry’s case.
“It was a particularly difficult case, strenuously defended by those representing the practice nurse at the Defendant GP Practice.
We tried to settle by P36, offer on liability, global offer and eventually a mediation.
The latter resulting in a significant concession on some issues which ultimately led to a compromise.
I am very happy with the outcome.”
On 6th June 2014, Henry went to see his GP to fit a 24-hour BP monitoring system with instructions to keep it in place for 24 hours and to remove at 6pm the next day.
Later that evening, Henry started to feel uncomfortable.
When he took readings at the recommended 30-minute interval stage, the device became tighter and more painful.
The next morning, Henry experienced pins and needles but didn’t think anything of it. On the 9th June, Henry then removed and returned the machine to his GP as instructed and felt instant relief.
However, on 11th June Henry started to encounter new obstacles. Simple tasks such as tying shoe laces and fastening buttons became difficult, it seemed his fingers were not as responsive as usual. The next day, Henry then went to see his GP, but didn’t return home. He was rushed to hospital with a suspected heart attack because the blood pressure cuff was fitted too tightly.
By 14th June, Henry was in unbearable pain.
It was Henry’s case that the Defendant failed to apply a blood pressure cuff correctly – this resulted in extensive denervation of muscles in his left arm giving rise to weakness and muscle wasting. Whilst there has been some spontaneous recovery of the nerve supply to the muscles in Henry’s upper arm, he has been left with little functional improvement.
Henry’s life is now very different and he struggles with bimanual tasks and domestic activities. He has also had to lower his golfing level, a sport he has played for over thirty years and abandon fly fishing.
Despite the pain and ongoing suffering he has endured, Henry has commended the work carried out by Trevor and the overall legal representation he received.
“I am happy with Trevor and his legal team, very happy. The degree of empathy and professionalism is exceptional. I was at all times appraised of the state of play, options for moving forward and insights into what was likely to occur. All of it was spot on. I would recommend Trevor Ward of Patient Claim Line to anyone who needs an expert in clinical negligence. The degree of empathy shown by all those involved in achieving the recognition that my injury was attributable to the BP cuff was very welcome. I believe the result significant and important to many more people who may have suffered the same injury, albeit without realising. That empathy was important in keeping my spirits up, when NHS GP staff were suggesting that I was ‘pretending’.
My main priority was to gain wider medical institutional acceptance that BP machines can do serious damage.”
Henry has since received a £15,000 settlement.
If you feel as though you have experienced a similar medical negligent experience, then please visit our NHS negligence claims page and get in touch with one of our medical negligence experts who can guide you through your claims process.