There are many heart rending stories about ordinary people whose lives are turned upside down by contracting pressure sores. These sores should never develop if proper care and attention is paid by those who were entrusted to care for them. In most cases, the victims of pressure sores are those who are least able to stand up for themselves or […]
Near Death Experience Because of an Untreated Pressure Sore
Bedsores the Main Factor in ONS Survey of Unnecessary Care Home Deaths
According to data obtained from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), deaths from bedsore related health problems outnumber any other cause of death amongst care home residents over the last few years. The figures were released from ONS data on request from the Guardian newspaper* as part of an investigation into the state of care home management at the end […]
BBI SEM Scanner Reduces Pressure Ulcer Incidence by 86 Percent
It is unfortunate that the care provided in hospitals and care centres has never been quite good enough to avoid the development of pressure sores. It only takes just a little more care and attention from a hospital worker that could help to reduce the incidence of pressure sores amongst those confined to beds and who are unable to help […]
Spinal Injury Patient Awarded Half a Million Pounds Because of Pressure Sore Negligence
An elderly man who was admitted to Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s spinal injury unit because of a severe spinal cord injury has just received 475,000 pounds in compensation. It was determined that negligence at the hospital, as well as the Royal London Hospital immediately beforehand, was responsible for the development of pressure sores which severely impacted on the man’s ability to […]
Can Ending Pyjama Paralysis Help to Reduce the Incidence of Bed Sores?
Britain’s chief nursing officer thinks that getting elderly patients dressed and out of their hospital beds each day would help to reduce a number of health problems inherent in immobility, including bed sores. A pilot scheme has already run for 70 days in which patients were encouraged to get out of bed every day, get dressed and move around as […]
Nurses at Great Western Hospital Show What Can be Done
Pressure sores or bed sores are regarded as one of the most expensive preventable health problems in Britain’s NHS. In the public health system alone it has been estimated that over 400,000 patients develop pressure sores every year and that figure doesn’t take into account the number of residents in care homes and residential homes who also suffer from this […]
Legal Action Possible After Northern Ireland Home Accused of Shocking Failure to Care for Elderly Residents
Possible legal action against government agencies in Northern Ireland charged with overseeing the standards at nursing homes in the province may be brought by families of residents at Dunmurry Manor. Dunmurry Manor, a residential home for elderly people and those with dementia is owned by an English company, Runwood Homes. A damning report of conditions at the home by the […]
Revolving Doors Favour Sacked NHS Bosses After Bed Sore Debacle
A recent independent report revealed that the board of Liverpool Community Health (LCH) NHS Trust took part in a drive to cut costs which ended up in patients suffering serious harm, including suffering from a significant number of bedsores. Despite the injuries that were caused, the NHS bosses, who earned 6 figure salaries, were removed from their jobs but were […]
Could the SEM Scanner Reduce Pressure Sore Incidence to Zero?
The use of the SEM scanner to help identify pressure sores in people most at risk has been available for use for some time now in Britain and its use was the subject of an earlier blog on this site this year. The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has just been awarded Patient Safety Award of the year for their […]
Pressure Sores More Common Because of NHS Staffing Cuts
A recent news article revealed that NHS nurses are leaving the profession in larger numbers than ever before. Amongst other things this appears to be affecting the number of patients who develop potentially dangerous pressure sores. One of the reasons for this is that the nursing shortages are so critical that patients who are incapacitated are often left to wet […]
Bed Sores Ruin a British Couple’s Caribbean Cruise
Recently, a British father was left in a dirty hospital on the brink of death following a Caribbean cruise and he claims he was forced to suffer from bed sores (also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers) as he was tied to his bed. Cruises through the Caribbean Islands are never cheap and ending up in a dirty hospital with […]
The ‘Stop the Pressure’ Campaign
One of the indicators of a properly functioning health service is the incidence of pressure sores, also called pressure ulcers or bed sores. These are mainly avoidable through monitoring and preventative action, yet continue to be an infliction for tens of thousands of vulnerable people across the U.K. and also a huge cost to the National Health Service in terms […]