The NHS has paid out £35 million in compensation to hospital patients who developed bed sores caused by staff neglect.
Figures reveal that over the past two years nearly 700 legal cases linked to the preventable skin infections were settled.
Bed sores – also known as pressure ulcers – develop when a patient’s skin is damaged from pressure in one spot continuously, due to a lack of movement.
If left untreated they can become a blister or an open wound, resulting in debilitating pain or even life-threatening infections.
The compensation data, gained via a Freedom of Information request by medical bed firm Opera Beds, shows that Sheffield Teaching Hospitals paid out the most, at £1.7million over 12 cases.
Prevention of bed sores includes regular repositioning by staff if a patient is bed-bound or immobile, the use of pressure‑relieving devices, skin care and nutritional support.
The data also revealed that East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust saw a reduction in the number of reported pressure sores by 81 per cent in the past year.
Figures reveal that over the past two years nearly 700 legal cases linked to the preventable skin infections were settled. Pictured: File photo
The compensation data, gained via a Freedom of Information request by medical bed firm Opera Beds, shows that Sheffield Teaching Hospitals paid out the most, at £1.7million over 12 cases. Pictured: File photo
The Trust said this was, in part, due to staff being trained on how to prevent bed sore, while patients were also advised to move as regularly as they can, use pillows to elevate affected areas as well as being reminded to stay hydrated to avoid the condition.
The Royal College Nurses (RCN) warned that preventing pressure sores can be ‘lifesaving’ but staffing shortages are in part to blame.
An RCN spokesman said: ‘Vital care like this can get overlooked due to the chronic nursing staff shortages, which must be addressed.’
A study published in the BMC Nursing journal earlier this month found that 90 per cent of bed sore injuries could be prevented.
