There can be many hurdles when pursuing a claim for personal injury compensation – the limitation to claim is normally one of them. But victims of gynaecologist Robert Jones known as “The Butcher” who is said to have mistreated thousands of patients at the Royal Cornwall Hospital (RCH – also known as Treliske Hospital) may now be able to access the justice they deserve (Source).
An agreement has been reached with the RCH to lift the three year limitation period which should allow victims that could date back to as early as 1992 to now be in a position to make a claim for personal injury compensation. The agreed protocol is said to be a step in the right direction for helping the victims of medical negligence claims currently being made against the RCH.
Our specialist medical negligence team here at The Injury Lawyers represent countless victims of clinical negligence all on a 100% compensation AND No Win, No Fee basis.
The History of Robert Jones (also known as Kenneth Jones)
Since 1992 Robert Jones has potentially mistreated thousands of patients, reports from media sources (BBC) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have confirmed. After increasing complaints and notable surgical mistakes and errors, Mr Jones was suspended in May 2012 and removed himself from the medical register a few months after.
The RCH announced a clinical review of more than 2,300 patients who had been under the care of Mr Jones in the previous two and a half years, of which many of the patients had undergone further treatment due to poor medical practice at his hands.
There are said to have been repeated complaints for over 12 years of his practice, and the RCH failed to take appropriate action to investigate the errors alleged. The hospital itself has reportedly been haunted by chaos for years as staff are said to be amongst the unhappiest in the country. In a period of just one month, a staff survey of which roughly half of hospital employees took part in indicated that almost half of them had witnessed errors and near misses – a damning statistic.
The period in between 2000 and 2012 is noted to be the height of horrors which Mr Jones has allegedly been involved in, ranging from poor surgical technique to inadequate advice.
The Report Findings on Mr Jones
The RCOG Report indicated numerous failings:
- Bizarre decisions and blatant failure to follow guidelines, with particular concerns raised with his colposcopy and general obstetrics practices. Mr Jones reportedly stopped colposcopy practice in 2011 as a result.
- Poor consent techniques, and little or no documentation explaining risks to patients.
- Difficulties in challenging Mr Jones and allegations of bullying and poor relations with other staff – making it difficult for patients to even realise that they were the victim of poor medical practice.
- Poor documentation and record keeping, resulting in missing and inaccurate medical records and data.
- Poor decision making when it came to treatment and mismanagement of referrals.
All this has resulted in a catalogue of patient complications which has left many women needing further, often very serious, treatment which they should never have had to have had. The RCH Trust itself has failed to act on what appears to be a heavy history of complaints and issues, which in turn has led to so many more women falling prey to his poor medical practice.
Making a Claim
Whilst there are many solicitors that can assist with claims for medical negligence, our clients always receive 100% of the compensation they are awarded.
Most lawyers will take up to 25% from your payout due to law changes that happened in April 2013 – but we don’t.
What’s more, we are a real law firm – not some claims management agency that will pass you to a solicitor (normally for a fee!)
Medical negligence cases in general can be risky so most lawyers will normally charge the full 25% due to the risk of the case. With a maximum compensation limit for claims for Mr Jones’ malpractice set at £250,000.000, you could face losing thousands of pounds with other solicitors.
We have a dedicated team that represent victims of medical negligence and serious injury claims. There is a lot to consider and we will use the best medical experts to prove your claim and get you the maximum compensation for pain, suffering, loss, and psychological damage caused by the negligence actions of Mr Jones and the RCH.
The catalogue of complaints are potentially widespread, ranging from surgical errors for, and unnecessary cases of, abdominal and vaginal hysterectomies , anterior and posterior repairs, poor colposcopy practices, and unusual decisions when it comes to courses for treatment. There have also been higher cases of infections and tears in the unitary tract, as well as unnecessary bleeding and fistulas caused by poor surgical technique.
To speak to one of our specialist advisors and to find out more about our unique 100% compensation and genuine No Win, No Fee services, call our dedicated claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today.
