Care Home Fees

The NHS is responsible for paying care home or nursing home fees for people in care for medical reasons and you may be entitled to a full refund of your payments (from 1st April 2012) and ensuere that the NHS pay all future payments if this applies to you.

 

Chris Rudd at the JMP's UK Financial Claims Centre in Warrington provides expert guidance and advice on recovering previous payments.

 

Contact Chris to discuss your claim on a no obligation basis by calling 08456 801 895.

 

The care home industry has also been under investigation by HMRC where it revealed that only 48% for companies had been paying workers the minimum wage and claimed this was "the highest level of non-compliance identified in this sector in the last five years".

 

JMP Solicitors act on behalf of employees in the recovery of lost earnings as a result of underpayment in accordance with the national minimum wage.

 

Call either National Financial Claims Centre in Warrington on 08456 801 895 or JMP Solicitors' Grantham office on 01476 565 295.

"Profound transformation" planned for National Health Service

The Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt has announced that a "profound transformation" is needed in NHS England to create an open, honest and learning culture.

The measures announced follow the Government's review of the Francis Inquiry which was published in February and itself highlighting cultural problems in the NHS.

The inquiry considered the neglect and abuse at Stafford Hospital between 2005 and 2008 and accused the NHS of putting corporate self-interest ahead of patients.

From April 2014 hospitals will be required to publish data on a new national safety website and will also be forced to publish nurse to patient ratio figures.

Government ministers also announced a series of extra measures in an attempt to make the NHS the "safest in the world" and reduce hospital negligence which include:

• Hospitals will have to produce quarterly reports on how they are handling complaints and clearly set out how patients can raise them.
• A legal duty of candour on organisations to be open and honest about mistakes.
• A criminal offence of wilful neglect to hold staff to account.
• A "fit and proper person's test" so managers who have failed in past will be barred from taking up posts.
• A care certificate to ensure healthcare assistants and social care workers have the right skills and training.
• Every patient should have the names of a responsible consultant and nurse listed above their bed.

 

Nurse was so drunk she had to be treated by her own accident and emergency department

A NURSE who was drunk on duty had to be treated by her own accident and emergency department.

Sheila Fletcher was struck off as she was treating patients at Hull Royal Infirmary whilst being drunk after taking in a wine box onto her ward.

Fletcher did not notice she had cut herself when she smashed a bottle of medicine before colleagues intervened, a disciplinary hearing was told.

She was stopped administering drugs at eight in the morning to unsuspecting patients after a colleague noticed she was behaving unusually.

Fletcher was employed at the Hull Royal Infirmary and went to work on May 15 2011 after drinking at home.

She told the ward sister that her arm felt tingly and that he head was 'not right', the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

An auxiliary nurse then reported that Fletcher has been seen in the toilet on her hands and knees clearing up 'pink fluid and broken glass on the floor'.

On another occasion she had failed to give drugs to a patient and doctored records to show that she had.

When Fletcher's husband visited her later in A&E he confirmed she had been drinking at home.

At a disciplinary hearing on February 7 2012, Fletcher admitted that she had taken a box of wine to work.

"It is the first time I recollect taking the bottle and the box (of wine) to the ward," she said.
The panel found the nurse guilty of failing to test the blood sugar levels of patient failing to provide him with insulin and failing to document her errors.

Allegations that she dishonestly forged the medication card for the patient were found not proved.
Fletcher faced further allegations relating to her conduct in November 2010 when she was accused of failing to prescribe drugs to a patient and then falsifying records on the following day.

The panel also found these allegations against her proved.

Fletcher, who was not present or represented at the hearing in central London, she was struck off the register.

(source: grimsbytelegraph.co.uk)

Ten year anniversary for Christine

Senior Associate Solicitor, Christine Bowerman recently celebrated ten years at Grantham based law firm, JMP Solicitors.

 

Christine joined the firm on 11th November 2003 after qualifying as a solicitor and has since then developed specific expertise in complex personal injury claims including serious groin injuries, head injuries and clinical negligence cases which include misdiagnosis of cancer and negligent dental treatment.

 

Christine has listed a number of significant cases and client testimonials on her own profile page spanning her ten years at JMP Solicitors.

 

Commenting on her ten years at JMP Solicitors Christine said "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with JMP Solicitors, my role has grown from strength to strength as has JMP's reputation. It has been interesting and sometimes tragic dealing with the more harrowing matters, but in all cases I have sought the best outcome for my clients and on the whole I believe that I have achieved this. I consider myself to be approachable and friendly, preferring my clients to feel comfortable in discussing  their concerns with me and not to feel intimidated as some solicitors can make their clients feel".

 

JMP as a practice encourages this friendly approach and it has resulted in us being instructed on further matters for our clients and their friends and families, not just personal injury, but employment issues, commercial issues, wills and probate to name just a few areas of law we cover. 

 

JMP has moved to a more central location and so we will open on Saturdays by prior appointment in order to see clients and potential clients who cannot contact us during the working week and so hopefully this will be more convenient for them.  

A winter of discontent?

NHS England's medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh has said that "Winter is going to a particular issue" due to the sheer pressure of increasing patient numbers on the National Health Service and local Accident & Emergency departments.

Sir Bruce Keogh's comments follow a statement released by the College of Emergency Medicines warning of a shortage of emergency doctors has the potential to put patients at risk which combined with the latest figures by the National Audit Office showing an increase in emergency admissions throughout the UK.