Slee Blackwell’s client, Allan Austin, has recovered a six figure compensation payout after negligent delay in hernia treatment at Wexham Park Hospital, near Slough, Berkshire.
Mr Austin’s plight originally caught the attention of the media after hospital delays led to him he developing a hernia that was the size of a football. The story was featured in a number of national newspapers at the time and now the legal settlement is receiving press coverage, with the BBC and other news agencies reporting on the case.
Background to Mr Austin’s hospital negligence claim
In early 2013 acute abdominal pain resulted in Mr Austin’s emergency admission to hospital. A laparotomy was carried out for a sealed colonic perforation. A procedure known as a defunctioning loop ileostomy was also carried out.
Mr Austin was due to be readmitted to hospital to have the ileostomy closed in the autumn of 2013. Regrettably delays led to this key operation being postponed for almost nine months.
When he finally underwent surgery his relatively small parastomal hernia had become grossly enlarged, causing him major discomfort. Special funding had to be obtained within the NHS to pay for the operation which involved the weakness in his abdominal wall being repaired with biologic mesh. The procedure cost more than £10,000.
Unfortunately a wound breakdown occurred post-operatively. This resulted in Mr Austin being readmitted to hospital for a lengthy period.
Although Mr Austin’s condition has been stabilised he continues to require wound care. His abdominal wall also remains extremely weak. He has been unable to return to work since the surgery surgery was carried out in 2014.
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