According to a solicitor, a man who had to have his finger amputated as a result of inadequate care at an NHS urgent treatment center has been compensated.
After removing a splinter from his finger, care worker Alan Blakey went to the urgent care facility in Bransholme, Hull, in January 2019.
According to Hudgell Solicitors, Mr. Blakey underwent wound cleaning and received an antibiotic prescription.
Later on, he went to the hospital with an infection and had the finger amputated.
By the time I arrived at A&E, I was already aware that poison was traveling up my arm, he claimed.
A red line that was about an inch wide and extended from my hand to my armpit was tracking. My elbow also had a golf ball-sized swelling, which was very alarming. ".
When Mr. Blakey visited the hospital, a hand surgeon examined him, and plans were made for surgery to open the finger and drain the infection. He had an intravenous antibiotic drip set up as well.
By that point, his finger had turned green, was extremely painful, and was also rock solid.
However, after surgery it was discovered that part of the finger tissue had already died, so a partial amputation was done a few days later.
"The treatment didn't work; you could see that the finger was dead and black. Well, there was shock when I was told it needed to be amputated, but at that point you think, "Well, there's nothing more that can be done, so you have to accept it," Mr. Blakey said.
The Bransholme Urgent Treatment Center's operator, City Healthcare Partnership, was sued for medical negligence after being contacted by attorneys, alleging a breach of the duty of care.
City Healthcare Partnership agreed to pay damages in an out-of-court settlement in which it acknowledged its responsibility. The sum was kept secret.
According to Helena Wood of Hudgell Solicitors, "We believed there was a breach of duty at the health center, first, because staff failed to take appropriate action when my client presented with a fever and an elevated heartbeat in addition to his infection.
This should have made clear how serious the medical condition was. ".
City Health Care Partnership CIC stated that it was unable to comment on specific cases in a statement.
"We thoroughly look into every patient complaint, and we pass on any lessons we learn to our services so that we can keep raising the bar on the caliber of our care. "The company stated.
