Clinical negligence claims for pressure injuries from the perspective of a tissue viability medico-legal nurse expert

Abstract

Clinical negligence claims for pressure injuries against the NHS continue to rise annually. This article will discuss the number of claims and financial costs to the NHS, together with the legal processes involved. Issues such as duty of care, breach of duty and harm and how these are interpreted in law will be explained, together with advice on how to avoid a potential negligence claim in the future. The author will discuss scenarios specific to primary care, such as non-adherence to pressure injury prevention strategies and how to manage these effectively. The importance of accurate, concise, relevant and factual documentation will also be discussed in detail.