Hospital admits liability for botched op (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hospital admits liability for botched op which left Cricklade man Michael Hart in wheelchair

4:20pm Wednesday 2nd September 2009 in News Exclusive By Andy Woolfoot

A CRICKLADE father-of-two who was left severely disabled after surgeons botched a routine operation is set to receive compensation after the hospital trust admitted it was to blame.

Michael Hart, 36, who lives with wife Karen, daughter Lucy, and son Jake, was left tetraplegic after the operation with only limited use of his hands.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust this week admitted full liability, nearly a year after the operation.

Solicitor Muiris Lyons, of London-based Stewarts Law LLP, who represented Mr Hart, anticipates the settlement figure will be in seven figures.

He said: "The Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust have accepted that the surgery was carried out inappropriately and that Michael’s severe spinal cord injury was caused as a result.

"They have apologised to Michael and his family and we are now working with the trust and its lawyers to assess Michael’s needs and requirements with a view to putting in place an appropriate accommodation and care package that maximizes his independence and quality of life."

He added the compensation will reflect Michael’s lost earnings, care, accommodation, specialist equipment and medical and other rehabilitation treatment.

Michael’s wife Karen told the Standard it came as a tremendous relief to the family when they found out the hospital had admitted liability.

"The report is quiet bad for what they did," she said. "They couldn’t deny it – from what was in the report they had to admit it."

She added that the family would be looking to move house to a place with better facilities to cope with Michael’s disability, hopefully within Cricklade.

A spokesperson for Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said: "The trust wishes to offer its sincere apologies to Mr Hart for the poor standard of care which was provided to him when he underwent spinal surgery on September 22.

"The trust has since made changes to ensure that similar incidents are less likely to occur in the future.

"The Trust very much hopes that an appropriate settlement can be reached in the near future."