Medical negligence compensation
06/03/2009

Doctor's dosage mistake recognised in compensation claim

Medical negligence compensation is set to be paid to the family of a 74-year-old woman who was incorrectly prescribed a lethal dose of morphine by her doctor.

After taking a dose 1000% as potent as she should have had, the former shop worker became seriously ill overnight and died the following morning. She had been prescribed the drug in order to help alleviate the symptoms of a chronic back injury.

In what seems an alarmingly simple mistake, the deceased woman's GP prescribed her a dose of 100mg instead of the usual 10mg.

One of the woman's daughters commented on the family's loss as well as the trouble they have experienced in trying to fight for the justice they deserve. She said of her mother, "Anyone who met her just knew she had plenty of living to do, which makes it so hard to accept that she has been taken away from us through stupid and careless mistakes by professionals who must know lives are at stake if they get things wrong," she said.

Adding, "They admitted negligence but not that the drugs they prescribed were what killed mum and we just couldn't accept that.

"We went to court because the fiscal decided not to prosecute… and the Crown Office refused to give us a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).

"We were told it wasn't in the public interest to have an FAI but we wanted one to warn people to check any prescriptions they received.

"What could be more in the public interest than that?"

"Before this I never even looked at anything I was prescribed and we obviously didn't realise until it was too late that mum had been given a dose of morphine that is normally only given as palliative care to people who are dying from cancer.

"Now I don't trust anything I get from a doctor or chemist and double-check everything."

The medical negligence compensation solicitor handling the case has said that she has the report of an expert cardiologist in which death by overdose is given as the likely cause of the woman's death.

It is expected that the medical negligence compensation claim will be paid by the GP's liability insurer.